Words of wisdom from Sierra Boggess

Sierra Boggess is an alumni of my university, Millikin, and last weekend we were lucky enough to have her back for a weekend master class. Here are some words of wisdom and some incredibly handy tips that are sure to help out any performer. 

Sierra Boggess intently and excitedly watches a student sing. 

BUT FIRST - 

Sierra originated the role of Ariel in The Little Mermaid on Broadway, played Christine Daae in Las Vegas, Broadway and in the 25th Anniversary production of Phantom of the Opera. She recently finished a run of Les Miserables in the West End in London where she played Fantine. Other credits include Master Class on Broadway and Love Never Dies in the West End. 

She shared with us that she is currently workshopping a brand new musical called Ever After based on the movie. She couldn't tell us anymore about it but it's exciting to know that Sierra will be hitting the Broadway stage again within the next few years in a new show. 

And now- a list of tips from Sierra Boggess herself.

• When it comes to emotional songs, have a catalog of images to switch through. For example, when Boggess played Christine and sang "Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again" she explained that she connected it to very sad things until she got to the point where she was almost going to lose it and start bawling. If this happened, though, she wouldn't be able to sing. So when she felt herself get to that point, she switched to an image that made her angry and so forth. 
• Don't show us a character, show us you playing the character.
• EYES: you can be aware, self-aware, conscious or unconscious. In order for them to be closed, you really need to earn it. It happens rarely.
• Backwards is not a direction- don't step back.
• Be honest. Don't lie about anything ever. 
• Sometimes you have to sing a pop song at an audition, or in a show. Don't over complicate them. If the lyrics are "Oh, oh, oh," that artist literally meant to say "oh, oh, oh," - there isn't a deeper meaning. But don't forget that you do still need to have a moment before and you still need to make even those simple lyrics make sense to you. 

Auditions

• Do what you love
• Do the ones you do best
• Do what's in your range AT PRESENT
• Tell the truth
• Mark your music exactly how you want it
• Look like you
• Be you
• Relax and mediate before
• Look wonderful

• Don't sing songs you learned the night before
• Don't smoke
• Don't bring nerves and tension into the room
• Don't dress to be someone else
• Don't be a copycat

"Go into an audition and do the best you can do for you. Not for them or anyone else. Take the pressure off of yourself that you have to get this. Forget the song "God I Hope I Get It". How can you be you and flow if you're trying to grasp and attack? Be like water- there's nothing water can't get out of. It hits a rock? Water flows around it."