CSUMB students perform musical theater highlights at World Theater

The students in Carlos A. Tottress’s MPA 330/332 class on voice training are rehearsing and warming up for a free concert for the community at CSUMB’s World Theater.

At 4 p.m. on Friday, March 24, their family-friendly show Musical Theatre: A Genre of Art and Storytelling will send everyone off to Spring Break on a medley of songs from popular musicals.

They include Hamilton, Pocahontas, The Greatest Showman, Dear Evan Hansen, The Addams Family, The Princess and the Frog, and more.

The students will get to show off techniques they’ve learned for tone production, breathing, expressive interpretation, and artistry.

“The Friday voice recitals brings it all together,” Tottress says, “training students in stage presence, performance skills, engaging the audience, while building confidence for a successful performance.”

The performances will include the students dressed in costume as their characters, and two of the numbers will include dance choreography, including “Greased Lightning” from Grease and “I’ll Make a Man Out of You” from Mulan.

Two students from the Performing Otters Club will emcee the entire show and provide commentary and background to set up each musical number.

Tottress — who also teaches gospel choir, chorale, songwriting, and music for children in the Music and Performing Arts Department — says his MPA 330 course is a “fantastic starting point for anyone wanting to produce their best sound.”

Friday’s show is free, doors open at 3:30 p.m., and it’s expected to run 1 hour and 45 minutes with intermission. Tottress says it is family-friendly, and no RSVP is needed so audiences can just show up and enjoy the show.