Several years ago, Broadway actress, Megan McGinnis, visited CharacterWorks in Richmond to teach an amazing master class with our students. Megan most recently starred in the tour of the new hit musical, Come From Away, and also originated the role of Jerusha in the critically acclaimed, off-Broadway musical, Daddy Long Legs. She was in the first Les Miserables Broadway revival, closing the company as Eponine, originated the role of Beth March in Little Women, and played a year long run as Belle in Beauty and the Beast. Other Broadway credits include Thoroughly Modern Millie, The Diary of Anne Frank, and the original cast of Parade.

Below are Megan’s amazing tips for musical theater performers from her Master Class!

1. Casting is not about you!
2. It’s more heartbreaking to be holding back the tears than to play sad.
3. Movement is distracting. Feel the story and share your experience of it through your eyes. Visualize.
4. Take us on a journey. Play with levels. Have somewhere to go.
5. Know who you are singing to.
6. Know what just happened to cause you to need to sing this song.
7. Love your lyrics.
8. Sometimes you are perfect for the role in every way but the producer wants a blond Grace Kelly type and you don’t get the job.
9. One of her biggest times of growth was when she was sick and cracked on every song for many shows. It was humbling and she has to learn to keep telling the story. Don’t apologize for mistakes - keep going.
10. Don’t be a one note.
11. Acting is more important than hitting the notes.
12. If you don’t tell a story, your singing doesn’t matter.
13. When you get to the title of the song, sing it like it’s the first time you have ever said those words.
14. Don’t look practiced. Each song needs to be as if it’s happening for the first time.
15. Favorite audition songs: Gershwin
16. Daddy Long Legs was one of the roles of her life - shortest audition.
17. When you are auditioning, you have no idea what doors might open. It may not be the part you are auditioning for, but another part down the road that someone sees for you in that audition.
18. Her first question is always, what are you singing about? Who are you singing to? What do you want? Answering those questions every time are everything.
19. Mark your breaths! Know when to breathe. Not in the middle of a sentence - it cuts off the idea.
20. Don’t close your eyes. It’s selfish! The song is for us not for you.