OEUVRE Magazine

Adam Sippola’s life is full of music.  After being on stage for Renegade Theater Company’s hits The Who’s Tommy and Parade, the vocalist is currently the musical director for Renegade’s upcoming production, Spring Awakening.

What is the primary challenge with doing the musical direction for a show like Spring Awakening?

Casting. We needed a young group of excellent actors who could transform themselves into rock-stars in the blink of an eye. We got them, and it has all been a joy!

What natural gifts do these performers have, musically, that have been unexpected in your approach to the show?

The talent of every member of the cast became apparent at auditions. So, rather than the unexpected, I anticipated being blown away by what they’d bring to the table, musically and otherwise. I have been, routinely.

How did you get involved in musical theatre and what about it for you sets it apart?

I believe my debut was during a family gathering at a cousin’s cabin, where all of us kids staged a scene to Mr. Roboto by Styx. I was Kilroy. I think I was 6 or 7. Come to think of it, that was a pretty indicative moment.

On a more serious note, music at its best has a transformational and transcendent quality, and on the rare occasion that a composer and/or lyricist is able to bring that quality into the realm of musical theater, where lyrics, music and story connect and reflect humanity, there are opportunities for a scene or an entire piece to become a vehicle for transformation, both of the performer and of the viewer. This is the case with all art, but music has a particular and peculiar way of enhancing our abstract thoughts and emotions, bringing them to new heights and depths. When good music is combined with well written words in the midst of a powerful story, you end up with a musical like Spring Awakening.

What have the musical or vocal rehearsals been like for the production? What’s your process?

I set out at a fast pace, aided by Erin McConnell on the keyboard, and due to the professional approach of these amazing young performers, that pace never slowed. No speeches, no lengthy introductions. We were singing the show from the first minute, enabling us to learn and review the entire show in 6 rehearsals, leaving us with 3 rehearsals to polish. I put forth the expectation that the cast be off book musically by January, so that they would be unencumbered when they began staging the show with Andy (or Herr Director, as he demands to be called at rehearsal). When the bar is set high at the outset, and the joy and excitement of live performance remains the focus, the performers themselves will continue to push the bar higher still.

How much of a challenge is it to shape amateur voices up to par for a show of Spring Awakening’s magnitude?

When you’re working with such a talented and receptive group as the cast of Spring Awakening, the slightest suggestion has great results, as they all approach the music with professionalism.

Were there any technical challenges with the Teatro space? Or, are there advantages to the venue for musical theatre?

The challenges and advantages both rest in the intimacy of the space  For Spring Awakening, we have an awesome 6-piece rock ensemble, led by Erin, which over the last week has brought a new infusion of energy and excitement to already strong vocal performances. The band is situated right up on stage in the midst of the action. This necessitates amplification for our singers, and careful attention to vocal balance with the band, so we’ve been setting our sound cues carefully to adjust to the often dramatic dynamic shifts of the pop/rock score.  The intimate space also enables certain pieces to be un-amplified, allowing for a completely natural sound to rise up during some of the more reflective full-company moments.

What will you take away from this production once the curtain down on the final performance?

Working with the whole gang at Renegade is an ongoing pleasure. We’re working hard and having a ridiculous amount of fun while doing it. I’m thankful to Andy Bennett for inviting me to be a part of the Spring Awakening team, and grateful to be sharing with the cast and crew in an experience where “it’s like we stop time”.  So, I’ve already taken quite a bit. Now it’s the audience’s turn.

THE DEETS:

SPRING AWAKENING opens Thursday, February 9 at Teatro Zuccone, 222 East Superior Street, Duluth.  The show runs Thursdays through Saturdays through February 25.  Curtain time:  8 p.m.