It’s Showcase Season Again

This is easily one of my favorite times of the year. Every year, I get to work with Shenandoah Conservatory’s Musical Theatre seniors to create their digital showcase. This is the piece that goes out into the world with them. Agents see it. Casting teams see it. It matters. It’s not just a performance. It’s a launch point.

More Than Just Filming Performances

On the surface, it looks simple. Film each performer, edit it together, deliver a clean showcase.

That’s not what’s actually happening.

This year, we filmed across three different locations. Each space needed to feel consistent, controlled, and intentional, even though the environments were completely different.

That meant:

Building lighting setups that matched across locations
Dialing in camera consistency so everything cuts together seamlessly
Managing audio so every performance feels clean and balanced
Keeping the workflow tight so we can handle a full class efficiently

Because at the end of the day, every performer needs to look like they belong in the same world.

Capturing the Group Photo

This year looked a little different. A lot of the performers were already out on national tours, so the usual group photo earlier in the year didn’t happen. So we built it into the showcase. While everything was already lit and set, I captured the group photo on-site. Same setup, same consistency, just switching from video to photo. It ended up working perfectly, and honestly, seeing how many of them are already out there working makes that photo hit even more.

What Makes This Different

These are not just videos. These are first impressions. Each performer is stepping into a professional space, and this showcase becomes part of how they’re seen. So the goal is always the same:

Make it feel polished, but not overproduced.
Make it feel natural, but not loose.
Make it feel like them, just at their best.

There’s a balance there, and getting that right is everything.

The Workflow That Holds It Together

With this many performers, things can fall apart quickly without a system. Everything from filming to post has to be structured:

Consistent setup from performer to performer
Fast resets between takes
Organized media handling so nothing gets lost
Efficient editing so turnaround stays realistic

This is where experience shows up. Not just in how it looks, but in how smoothly the entire process runs.

The Result

The final showcase speaks for itself. It’s clean. It’s cohesive. It highlights each performer without distraction. And most importantly, it gives them something strong to put in front of the people who can actually move their careers forward. That’s why this project matters. Every year, it’s a lot of work. But it’s also one of the most rewarding things I get to be part of.

Credits

Videography
Charles King

Video Editing
Charles King
Patrick Brady

Creative Consultants
Rachel Hoffman
Justin Bohon

Musical Direction, Arrangements, Solo Piano & Tracks
Patrick Brady

Vocal Supervisor
Matt Edwards

Producers
Emily Adams
Payton Gonzalez

Sound Design
Wayne Romero

A2
Jake Tuttle

Lighting Design
Charles King
Zoe Anderson
Tyson Francis

On Set Consultant
Jenny Ravitz Brightman

Videography Assistant
Nathalia Villada

Additional Musical Tracks
Connor Crotzer Scartascini
Carter Perryman

Choreography Assistance
Shylo Martinez

Special Thanks to Our Faculty

Dr. Tracy Fitzsimmons, President of Shenandoah University
Kevin Covert, Director of Musical Theatre
Patrick Brady, Professor of Musical Theatre
Matt Edwards, Coordinator of Musical Theatre Voice
Shylo Martinez, Coordinator of Musical Theatre Dance
Dr. Jennifer Smolos Steele, Dean and Professor of Music, Shenandoah Conservatory

Special Thanks to Our Donors

Dr. Jennifer Smolos Steele
Mr. Kevin Covert
Mr. Matt Edwards
Mr. Patrick Brady
Mrs. Shylo Martinez
Tracy Fitzsimmons
The Adams Family
Mr. Deron Goodwin
Ball Corporation
Karla Mauldin
Lakewood Camping
Mrs. Mona Lisa Lysinger
Mrs. Betsy Eble
Mrs. Elizabeth Rubino
The Gaida Family
The Newton Family
Mrs. Margaret Lawton
Mrs. Sandy Schmidt
Mrs. Lesley Hyde
Mrs. Rochelle Bruno
Mr. Blayne Perry
Mrs. Bonnie Helfner
Jamie Ellis
Mrs. Karen Shaw
Mrs. Selina Noramly

Shenandoah Senior Showcase 2026 Video Production