Chapman Plans Audition for Summer Music Theatre

“The talent is out there. Finding it is the problem.”

So says Jerry Derloshon, a spokesman for Chapman College, which has scheduled a second audition for its Summer Music Theatre Workshop and Conservatory on Sunday at the Waltmar Theatre on the campus in Orange.

The six-week summer program is designed primarily for high school students and will culminate in a staging of “The Music Man” for eight performances (Aug. 25-Sept. 4) at the 1,000-seat Chapman Auditorium.

“We need 25 to 30 students,” Derloshon said. “We have room for some two-year college students as well. Our first audition in May produced nine candidates with a lot of talent. But we didn’t get a big turnout.”

Music professor Barry Silverman will head the summer conservatory. Choreographer Donna Cucunato, who directs the dance program at Chapman, will give the dance instruction. Acting professor Michael Nehring will be the drama coach. Nehring, also a professional actor, recently won a Drama-logue Theatre Award for his performance in “Marat/Sade” at the Friends and Artists Theatre in Los Angeles.

“We did a market survey,” Derloshon said, “and we couldn’t find anyone in Orange County conducting a conservatory program like this except for South Coast Repertory, which has ongoing classes for student actors during the year.”

Tuition for the Chapman program costs $495, which covers the cost of classes, daily lunches and production expenses. Classes, beginning July 23, will run five days a week from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, call Silverman at (714) 997-6972.