Becky Schoon: transferring voice to theater

Home Culture Becky Schoon: transferring voice to theater

Becky Schoon can’t remember a time without singing. Ever. One of her earliest memories is of tagging along with her mom to an accompaniment practice.

“When I was really little one of the girls was sick and couldn’t hit the note,” senior Becky Schoon said. “So I sang the note for her. ”

She hasn’t stopped singing since.

With the premiere of “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum,” Schoon will be playing her first part in a Hillsdale Theatre Department performance, though she has experience in the theater performances prior to college, and also Hillsdale’s annual Opera Workshop.

Schoon plays the role of Domina, the battle-axe wife of Senex and mother of Hero.

Filling the part of a proud, domineering woman, Schoon said she loves the volume and commanding presence of the role.

“I’m considered a lead part in the play, but I am not on stage that long. I am mostly in Act Two,” she said. Then, chuckling to herself, she added, “I get a microphone, but I really don’t need one — I am naturally pretty loud.”

From as early as age two, Schoon has been an avid singer and has actively sought to be involved in more music and performance.

Since then, she has taken part in a variety of performing arts.

“I can be really dramatic when I want to be,” she said, smiling. “The first thing I did was a scarecrow and I really liked being dressed up. And then in seventh grade, I was Captain Hook because the boys hadn’t hit their growth spurts and I was the tallest and had good intonation.”

In the midst of a peal of laughter she added, “You can tell I am a bit typecast for those characters who yell.”

Not only performing in the musical, Schoon plays the French Horn for the Hillsdale College Orchestra, sings in the choir and chamber choir, and performs in extra recitals such as the Opera Workshops.

Even with her double major in music and economics, also a minor in Spanish, Schoon still makes extra time for her musical pursuits.

“I really enjoy all aspects of the fine arts, acting, singing, dancing.”

Voice Teacher Melissa Osmond has been training Schoon since the fifth-year senior first came to campus freshman year.

“She’s been included in Opera Workshop since her freshman year, and in her sophomore year she had a major role,” Osmond said. “She’s had two major roles since shes been here and done a lot of scene work. She’s grown a lot in her five years as both a singer and as an actress.”

Having been her voice teacher for five years, Osmund perceived the improvement in Schoon’s performing, and in her ability to reach beyond her comfort zone and perform a wider variety of roles.

Originally uncomfortable outside of pieces and roles that did not reflect her demeanor, Schoon has grown intensely in her ability to match and emote in a wider selection, Osmund said.

“It’s hard to say anything too specific because most of what we do in lessons is very personal and is on a one-to-one basis. What I have asked her to do has often been very difficult because of who she is and how her personality is,” Osmond said.

Osmond added that even so, over the years Schoon has improved by leaps and bounds.

“She has gotten much better at letting go so she can experience a character that is not herself. She is not  afraid to experience emoting,” Osmond said.

Despite her love of acting and performance, Schoon has not performed in a musical at the college level before.

Prior to high school, she performed in several different plays and musicals, as well as playing her French Horn in pit orchestras.

“I have been hoping for a musical for a while, and this is my last chance,” Schoon exclaimed.

Despite her vast involvement in the music department, Schoon trying out for the musical was unexpected, Osmond said.

“I was a little surprised that she tried out. I was very happily surprised and not at all surprised when she got the part,” she said. “Music and theater come to her very naturally. It’s something she does with very little effort; she’s very naturally gifted there.”

Though her decision to try out caught her off guard, Osmund said that as soon as she heard Becky practicing the songs that she had the part.

“She’s a very hard worker, she’s always prepared, and she has a great sense of humor,” Osmond said. “I have just been incredibly pleased with the growth she has come by over the years.”

In hopes of putting her volume, good humor, and confidence to good use, Schoon plans to attend graduate school in speech pathology.

“Then,” she chuckled, “ I can tell people they’re yelling wrong!”

 

 

                 tsawyer1@hillsdale.edu