For the second time in four years, an Emporia State University theatre student has been chosen for an elite summer theatre program at the Open Jar Institute in New York City.
Senior Nathan Short was selected after auditions held in early February at the Kennedy Center Region 5 American College Theater Festival in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Former Emporia State student Marah Melvin of Iola was chosen in 2012.
Jim Bartruff, director of theatre and professor of communication and theatre, is pleased at Emporia State’s success in competing against larger theatre departments nationwide for seats at the Institute, which opened in 2003.
“It speaks to both, I think, the training they receive at Emporia State as well as their own determination and talents that allowed both Nathan and Marah to pursue this exciting opportunity,” Bartruff said.
“There are a lot of programs similar to this, but this is one of the most prestigious and certainly one of the most sought-after, largely because of the quality of the people involved in the various workshops with the students.”
Bartruff said Short has performed in numerous productions at Emporia State, and perhaps is best-remembered for his portrayal of Emile De Becque in “South Pacific.”
Short had been in Minneapolis this year as part of the troupe that performed a play written by Emporia State students Brandon Jensen and Mark Warner — “The Treehouse Effect” — in the Kennedy Center Region Five American College Theater Festival held in January. At that festival, he also auditioned for a Ryan Scholarship.
During the Musical Theater Intensive at the January festival, Short auditioned by singing “It’s Hard to Speak My Heart” from the musical “Parade.” After reading an emailed announcement about one competitor who had won a scholarship to Open Jar, he assumed he had not been accepted.
“My understanding was there was one scholarship would be awarded and that would be it,” Short said. “So I was not anticipating this email whatsoever.”
His shock later, when he opened the Open Jar congratulatory email, quickly gave way to a range of reactions from tears to screams of excitement.
“My dream is Broadway,” Short said. “Since I was 10 years old, that’s been what I’ve wanted to do: Go to Broadway, win a Tony and perform.”
The program offers tremendous advantages in training alone, as well as the opportunity to “network — being able to say, ‘I met this person, I worked with this person,’” Short said.
He will work one-on-one with Broadway’s best teaching artists, vocal coaches, acting teachers and choreographers, will meet with casting directors and agents and attend four Broadway shows and meet with casts during backstage tours.
“It’s a very intensive weeklong program to give them the best that Broadway has to offer,” Bartruff said.
The $2,200 tuition includes classes, meals, and Broadway shows. Housing costs an additional $725 for six nights in a shared bed/chaperoned room, with four to a room.
People who want to support the Emporia State Theatre Department may contact Angela Fullen with the Emporia State Foundation, 341-6465 or afullen@emporia.edu.