Southern Opera and Musical Theatre
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The Southern Opera and Musical Theatre Company regularly offers students opportunities to perform in opera and musical theatre productions, as well as recitals and concerts. Fully staged productions have included Sweeney Todd, West Side Story, Mary Poppins, Carmen, The Mikado, and Rigoletto.
Over the years, opera and musical theatre stage productions were by all accounts, 鈥渆pic.鈥� From the landmark, sold-out production of Andrew Lloyd Webber鈥檚 The Phantom of the Opera (Winner of the American Prize in Musical Theatre 2019) to Puccini鈥檚 masterwork, Turandot, which was presented in a joint production with the Mississippi Opera. Turandot was the largest operatic production ever produced in the state of Mississippi and completed a banner year for the Southern Opera and Musical Theatre Company. Offering students on-the-job training in all areas of production and performance, the program is a launching pad for many stage performers around the globe.
ANNOUNCING AUDITIONS FOR
Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812
Presented by the Southern Opera and Musical Theatre Company at Southern Miss
Auditions
Video submission through May 3, 11:59 p.m.
Open to all Southern Miss students
Audition Requirements
Two videos:
- Video one: a song in the style of the character you think most fits you or is the best showcase of your vocal and acting capabilities.
- Video two: a contrasting song - preferably accompanying yourself on piano, guitar, accordion, or other instrument of your choice. If you cannot accompany yourself in this fashion, you may submit just you singing.
NOTE: To participate in the musical, you must enroll in MUP 490/590 and be available for all class time rehearsals. The class period for MUP 490/590 is Tuesday - Friday 4:00-5:15p and Tuesday and Thursday evenings 5:30 - 6:45p. There will also be some Friday/weekend rehearsals in the tech weeks prior to the performances. Excessive conflicts will limit participation.
Self-Tape Quick Setup (Do This First)
- Camera: Phone at eye level, horizontal, stable (tripod or stack of books)
- Framing: Mid-thigh to just above head
- Lighting: Face a window or use 2 lamps at 45掳 angles (no backlighting)
- Background: Plain, neutral wall (no clutter)
- Sound: Quiet room; use external mic if available, otherwise stay close to your phone/tablet.
What to wear
- Simple, fitted clothing (no logos or busy patterns)
- Hair/Makeup: Clean, natural, camera-ready
What to Film
- Slate (5鈥�10 seconds)Name, song title, show
- Friendly, direct to camera
- Song Cuts1.5 to 2 minute cut. contrast style by using a change of historical period/register of voice/tempo/mood/etc.
- Second Piece1.5 to 2 minute cut with your instrument if applicable.
Performance Best Practices
- Eye line: Just off-camera (not into lens except for slate)
- Acting > Singing: Tell the story clearly
- Stillness wins: Minimal movement; let face and intention carry
- Button the ending: Hold final moment 1鈥�2 seconds before cutting
Technical Best Practices
- One clean take (or best of 2鈥�3鈥攄on鈥檛 overdo)
- Use clean accompaniment track without a vocal
- Label file clearly: Name_Song_Show.mp4
- Check before sending: Watch once for sound, framing, focus
Shows
Friday and Saturday, November 6 and 7, 2026 鈥� 7:30 p.m., Saturday, November 7, 2026 鈥� 1 p.m., and Sunday, November 8, 2026 鈥� 3 p.m.
The Thomas V. Fraschillo Stage at the Mannoni Performing 黑料视频 黑料视频 Auditorium
Tickets
On sale as part of the Symphony season this summer
Individual tickets on sale September 5
About the Show
Blending soaring pop, electro, folk, and Broadway sounds into a 鈥渟tunning and blazingly original鈥� score, this genre-defying musical pulls audiences directly into a story of love, temptation, regret, and redemption. Be surrounded by music, movement, and emotion in a way few shows ever have.
Praised as 鈥渢he most innovative鈥� since Hamilton鈥� and earning 12 Tony Award nominations, it redefined what modern musical theatre could be while collecting major honors including Obie and Off-Broadway Alliance Awards for Best New Musical. For a season celebrating the truly iconic, The Great Comet stands as a bold, once-in-a-generation experience, that doesn鈥檛 just tell a story but invites audiences to step inside it and feel it unfold around them.
Why Choose the Southern Opera and Musical Theatre Company at Southern Miss?
- Over 40 faculty members of dedicated teacher-artists
- Professional voice teachers and stage directors
- An active opera program producing multiple fully staged productions each year
- Frequent master classes and performances by musicians of international stature
Guest Artists
Professional Partnerships
