"Unsung" Workshop Musical
College - Concert, Opera & MT
No tickets are required for this event.
Program
Unsung
Music and Lyrics by Lauren Mayer
Books and Lyrics by Diane Sampson
This performance is a workshop version of a new musical by Diane Sampson and SFCM’s own Lauren Mayer. It tells the story of Marie Dressler, a wildly popular vaudeville, stage and film star from the 1880s to the 1930s. Yet few people today have even heard her name. She was a dynamo whose offstage life was as thrilling and varied as the roles she played on stage and screen, and she broke all sorts of norms in ways that are still relevant. Many of the obstacles Marie faced are still present in our culture, particularly for older women (like the show’s writers), and the question of why she’s so forgotten today raises all sorts of important issues.
But this musical isn’t all drama. It also includes comedy, toe-tapping musical numbers, and fascinating elements of history. All of that combines to create a show which appeals to a wide range of potential ticket-buyers, from fans of classic musical theatre, to history buffs, to newer audiences who will appreciate the contemporary issues, to general arts supporters who will enjoy being in on a brand-new work.
For more information, please visit www.themostunlikelystar.com/
Final program details will be announced upon availability.
Opera and Musical Theatre
Lauren Mayer
Michael Mohammed
About SFCM’s Opera and Musical Theatre Program
The SFCM Opera and Musical Theatre program draws exceptionally talented young singers from around the world and provides them with advanced training in vocal style, acting, stage movement, and other essentials of stagecraft. Each year, SFCM produces four fully staged opera and musical theatre productions with full or chamber orchestra. Recent fully staged operas have included L’elisir d’amore, Don Giovanni, Mansfield Park, Postcard from Morocco, The Rake’s Progress, Così fan tutte, The Marriage of Figaro, and former faculty composer Conrad Susa’s Transformations. SFCM has hosted workshops for in-development opera projects such as Mason Bates’s The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs and Jake Heggie’s Great Scott.
In addition to fully staged productions, a number of scenes, programs, and other performances with piano accompaniment are presented each year. Opera students also have an opportunity to receive coaching from San Francisco Opera music staff, and to participate in productions tailored for school-age audiences in collaboration with San Francisco Opera’s Education Department.
SFCM’s Musical Theatre Workshop provides ensemble experience to singer/actors with an emphasis on American musical theatre, examining one or more musical theatre composers and their works through rehearsals and performance. Recent performances include such works as The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, She Loves Me, Company, Little Women, Urinetown, and The Musical of Musicals (The Musical!).
Visiting artists have included Ryan Taylor (General Director, Minnesota Opera), Roy Rallo (Stage Director, San Francisco Opera), David Maier (Fight Director, San Francisco Opera), Barbara Scott (Improvisation Technique), Matt Chapman (Laban Technique), and Jose Luis Moscovich (General Director, West Bay Opera).
View SFCM'S Event Health and Safety Policy
As of April 1, 2023, face masks will be optional and at personal discretion for all SFCM concerts & events. Vaccinations are not required for visitors and guests to campus buildings and performances. Please visit SFCM's full Event Health & Safety policy to read more about our guidelines.
Upcoming Events
