Host Joy Walczak speaks with Morgan Marshall, 9th grade student, Cedar Springs High School and Linda Tata, Director of Choral Music, Cedar Spring Public Schools
Full Transcript:
Host Joy Walczak (JW): Welcome to the Your Dream Is Our Dream podcast where we celebrate student success one dream at a time. This program is made possible by Kent ISD in partnership with WGVU. I'm Joy Walczak and today I'm joined by Morgan Marshall, a ninth grade student at Cedar Springs High School, along with director of choral music there, Linda Tata. Thanks so much for joining me today.
Linda Tata (LT) and Morgan Marshall (MM): Of course.
(JW)We're so glad to be here and this is very exciting. I first want to start out, Morgan, saying that I'm tempted to ask you to sing all of your answers today. So, if you ever feel like breaking into song, you just go right ahead, okay?
(MM) (laughs)
(MM) All right, so we also want to congratulate you on your lead role in this spring musical that you have coming up as Jo March in Little Women. Tell us about how you started and where you're going with this role and your music.
(MM) Well first, thank you so much for congratulating me. I am so excited to be playing this role! You know, music just really like helps me feel better like all the time. Like I was in the Intensive Care Unit this summer and listening to music really got me through like my health issues and stuff. And I just love the way music makes me feel. It just makes me feel so happy and like I can just do whatever I want. So I love being able to participate in music related things.
(JW) And this is really helping you with some of the dreams that you have for your future, isn't that right?
(MM) Yeah, so I really wanna be on Broadway. Like that's my number one goal. I'm just trying to do everything I can in school to get myself ready for college programs and to be on Broadway.
(JW) And speaking of your music education, we have your choral director here with us, Linda Tata. Mrs. Tata, will you please share with us how you became to know about Morgan's talent and her music and where she's going from here?
(LT) So, I first had Morgan in my seventh grade choir class, and I could recognize her talent right away.
Yeah, she even told me in seventh grade that Broadway was her goal and I was like, okay. And I knew that she can, so I've just been cheering her on ever since.
(JW) As you have been on this educational musical journey together, you had an opportunity to do something really special at the University of Michigan. Would you like to both tell me about that opportunity?
(LT) Yeah, so I knew about this event called Musical Theater Intensive, which they have with the University of Michigan professors leading it and I just knew that Morgan would be a great fit for this. I really wanted to give her opportunities that I haven't necessarily given to my students before. So I encouraged her to audition in um it was September of this year and then we found out she got in and uh you want to take it from there?
(MM) Yeah so, this event was like probably the coolest opportunity I've ever had in the musical theater realm because I was able to just be around people who had the same dreams as mine and we were able to like encourage each other and cheer each other on through it and just being in an environment where everyone shares the same goal is really empowering and being able to work with people who have been in this business for a really long time like have been directing on Broadway or even been in Broadway performances is very helpful in terms of teaching myself better acting skills and singing skills.
(JW) And this is a very competitive program. It's not easy to get in, isn't that right?
(LT) Right, so 100 students, 100 high school students from around Michigan got in, and I even told her it might be tough because she's a freshman. So just being one of the youngest ones, it might be very competitive. Not only that, did she get in, but she qualified for top eight when she was there, a top eight honors recital that she did.
(JW) Congratulations again.
(MM) Thank you.
(JW) Quite an accomplishment. And you'll also be back on stage soon. Tell us about your role as Jo in the upcoming musical and how that role might inspire you.
(MM) Well, it's been very fun getting to step into the shoes of Jo March because we're very similar people. We're both very driven, very imaginative and like, we're very stubborn. We will do whatever it takes to get what we want. So just being able to play her has been so much fun for me.
(JW) We all know in musical performance, it's more about a team of talent rather than just one individual artist. How is it important to be part of a production and part of a choir? And how does that help you prepare for life even beyond high school?
(MM) One thing that being in theater and choir has brought me as like really good friendships. Like I found some really good people that I think will last me a lifetime, like Dominic Vanderheide, who played Warbucks in Annie last year. We're best friends, like, and I know like he's gonna be in my life for a really long time. So just having good friendships just will help you throughout your entire life. And in choir and theater, I've often found myself in a leadership position, where, and I think that really helps me to be able to communicate better with other people and know how to not only cheer myself on but to empower others to follow their dreams as well.
(JW) And Miss Tata, how does it feel for you as an educator to see Morgan on stage, to see her working toward those dreams? How is what you're doing in your classroom inspiring her to do this?
(LT) I am constantly trying to get the best sound from my singers and, I mean, the nice thing about a group is you can, your goals can be set for the best singers and so I'm constantly giving you know ideas of how they can improve their sound and she just takes it and runs and the other kids in the group, I feel like we have a very solid choir this year and part of that, it helps with their hearing her singing and they want to blend to her tone and they're hearing good examples coming from her as well.
(JW) Well, it sounds like you're really bringing everything together that will help empower her not only in your classroom but also on stage and beyond stage in life because you talked about your leadership positions too. It's a very important role to play and as a freshman in high school why is it important for educators like us to even ask you about your dreams?
(MM) I think in giving kids as young as possible the tools to succeed later in life is so important. If I wasn't given opportunities by Miss Tata and by my parents and by other educators in my life, I don't think I would be at the level of work ethic I am today. Like I don't think I would be striving to achieve my goals as hard as I am right now.
(JW) I'd love to know about some of your musical role models.
(MM) So, Andrew Rannells is, he's been on Broadway for years, and I just really look up to him. You know, as a kid from the Midwest, who like, it didn't really seem like there was many opportunities out there for him. He was able to like really work hard and get to Broadway. And that's exactly what I'm trying to replicate.
(JW) Fantastic. Ms. Tata, why do you feel it's important for us to ask students about their dreams? How does it help you make a better, become a better educator?
(LT) As soon as Morgan told me in seventh grade that she wanted to be on Broadway, I just kept seeing all the good things she was doing in her singing and cheering her on. And by the end of seventh grade, I still remember that spring I called home. I hadn't known her parents yet, but I looked up their phone number and I told them, “Hi, this is Morgan's choir teacher, and this is gonna be an odd conversation, but I think she's good enough that she could be auditioning on Broadway right now”, actually. So I had that conversation, and ever since, I've been feeling like I need to do everything I can for her to help her make it there.
(JW) And I think that's what's happening right here at Cedar Springs High School. We're coming together around talent like Morgan, students like Morgan, and all of the rest of your choral students to really help make their dreams come true. Morgan, what would you share with other students about being able to really take advantage of all of the opportunities that are around in school and beyond so that you can make your dreams come true?
(MM) I just hope that my fellow peers can just look, I hope I can be a role model for them, and just be a light for them. I just want them to know that they can achieve their goals no matter where they are in life. If you work hard enough and if you keep dreaming, then you're just gonna, you can go anywhere you want. ‘Cause, like I didn't think I was gonna be at the level to which I am now, but you know, I just kept trying because I couldn't imagine myself doing anything else. So yeah, just if you're dreaming of something and even if you don't think do it, you can. Like, it just takes a bunch of hard work, but you can do it.
(JW) Would you like to give us a Broadway song that might encapsulate your life and your dreams? Is there one tune or a tune or two that might really be part of your message?
(MM) My favorite song right now is The Wizard and I from Wicked. Um, just because it really encompasses how finding good people like in your life that can help you work towards your dreams really just helps you. Like you can't do it all by yourself. You have to branch out, make connections, and just find people that want to help you succeed. So that's, yeah.
(JW) That's fantastic. Well, on that note, I would love to thank both of you for joining us today. It's been really a pleasure to speak with you.
(MM & LT) Thank you. We really encourage you to continue to pursue those dreams, Morgan. And Miss Tata, thank you so much for helping our students like Morgan make their dreams come true.
(LT) Of course.
(JW) I'd also like to thank everyone who's listening today. If you know a student who dreams big, we would love to share their story. You can share your ideas and hear more stories at KentISD.org/Your Dream. I'm Joy Walczak. The Your Dream Is Our Dream podcast is presented by Kent ISD in partnership with WGVU.
