VOCAL ARTS ACADEMY MUSIC THEATER RESIDENCE CAMP FOR HIGH
SCHOOL
Now in its 4th year, the Vocal Arts Academy is a pre-college training program for high
school students interested in pursuing musical theater as a major. Under the artistic
direction of Dr. David Herendeen, OCU’s director of Opera and Music Theater, the
Vocal Arts Academy is well grounded in the foundation of musical theater – singing,
acting, and dance. In addition to our full-length production of “Footloose”, we will offer
students dance, diction, and acting classes, and vocal masterclasses in performance and
audition techniques. Classes are held in the mornings and afternoons and staging is done
mainly at night. Students will also have an opportunity to work on songs for a “cabaret”
performance.
Each summer we have approximately 30 students from an increasingly large geographic
area. While many of our participants are from Oklahoma and Texas, last summer we
welcomed students from New York, Illinois, Colorado, Arizona, and Ohio.
Audition requirement is a tape or CD with two songs – music theater and/or classical.
Audition tapes should be submitted with your application as soon as possible. Acceptance
is first come, first served and applications received after the May 15th deadline will only
be considered if space is available. Audition tapes are used for acceptance and
scholarship consideration only. Auditions for casting will still be held after you arrive at
the program.
Tuition is $1,050, however, there is a 10% early bird discount if we receive your
application by May 15th. Please note applications received after this date will be
considered only if space is available.
For more information please feel free to call JoBeth Moad at 405-521-5410.
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Registration will be Monday, July 11th, at 9:00 a.m. in the lobby of the Fine Arts
(music) building located at the corner of 25th street and Blackwelder. After
registration, campers will be able to check into the dorm. Out of town students may
check-in Sunday July 10. There will be an additional $15 charge for campers
checking in on Sunday.
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Any campers who will be arriving Sunday should contact the Academy Director
(405/521-5410) with flight arrival times. We will make arrangements to pick you up
at the airport and take you to the dorm. Please call or email me at jmoad@okcu.edu to
confirm your flight information.
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Residents will receive dorm assignments upon arrival. If there is a camper you wish
to room with, requests can be made prior to registration with the Director. Rooms are
air conditioned with ample closet space. The dorm also has washers and dryers
available.
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Auditions will be held for “Footloose”. Please be prepared to sing one song. You will
need to bring a copy of your music in your key for the accompanist. Dress for the
audition is “nice” casual. Auditions will also include a movement audition (jazz or
tennis shoes will be appropriate) and cold readings from the show.
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The daily schedule will be:
7:30 – 8:30
Fitness – Weight room and cardio equipment in the OCU Freede
Wellness Center
8:30 am
Breakfast
9:30 – noon
Rehearsal
noon – 1:00
Lunch
1:00 – 5:00
Rehearsal
5:30 – 6:30
Dinner
7:00 – 9:00 pm Rehearsal
All times are approximate and subject to change.
Rehearsal times will consist of movement, voice, acting, master class, coaching, audition
preparation and staging. Supervised practice time will also be held during rehearsal time.
Things you need to bring:
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Phones are not provided in dorm rooms. You may bring a phone if you like (including
cell phones)
Bedding (regular twin sheets, pillow, comforter or blanket) and towels
Work-out clothes, bathing suit, tennis racquet. Residents will have access to OCU’s
Tennis Pavilion and Fitness Center.
Toiletries
Sweatshirt or sweater for indoor areas and rehearsal spaces – it can get very cold in
the building so please plan to dress in layers
Vocal selections you know (to work on in coaching & audition preparation)
Tape recorder and cassette(s) for taping music rehearsals
Paper and pencils
Comfortable, casual clothes for daily classes and rehearsals –
the weather in Oklahoma City can vary during the summer months, but the
temperature stays basically in the 80’s-90’s. T-shirts, jeans, and tennis shoes are the
norm (no short-shorts please!).
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You will need to bring stage makeup. If you don’t have stage makeup, you can buy a
basic kit from Ben Nye at most costume stores. If you cannot find a stage makeup kit,
just bring what you have and we can work from there.
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Some costumes will be provided from the OCU costume lab for the show. We will
notify you of additional clothing you should bring prior to the performance
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While students will be spending most of their time in classes and rehearsals, there
will be off-campus activities for which they may need spending money. We
recommend $50 - $100 in spending cash.
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If the camper has a special medical need or condition, please alert us in advance.
There are several pharmacies in the OCU area. You might want to include money for
emergencies.
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Please fill out the enclosed waiver and release form and emergency contact form.
Please be prepared to turn these in at registration.
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Students will not be allowed to leave campus during their stay except on outings
organized by the program. Except in special circumstances, parents are not allowed to
take students off campus. Parents may visit in the dorms or cafeteria during specified
times.
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You and your parent will be asked to sign a copy of the dorm rules and regulations
before you check-in. Please read this document carefully as violation of the rules may
result in your dismissal from the program. Should a student be dismissed from the
program, they will NOT receive a refund of tuition
Rules and Regulations
The Oklahoma City University Performing Arts Academy is committed to providing
students a safe, healthy, and comfortable environment in which they can obtain
maximum benefit of the program and grow academically, artistically, and personally.
The foundations for this commitment are the policies of Oklahoma City University. This
section details the rules and regulations by which all students are expected to abide.
Failure to do so will receive serious and immediate attention.
The following infractions will result in a student’s dismissal from the Performing Arts
Academy:
• purchase, sale, transport, possession, or consumption of alcohol by anyone under 21 years
of age
• possession or consumption of alcohol on campus by any student
• setting a fire; malicious activation of a fire alarm
• physical violence
• sexual assault or harassment
• possession of firearms, explosives, fireworks, chemicals, projectile devices and other
dangerous substances,
articles and weapons
• violation of the visitation policies
• habitual offenses of rules and regulations
1. Room checks are done before and after each conference to ascertain any damages
incurred during your stay. You will be billed directly for any damages – including
excessive clean-up.
2. Keys - All students will be issued a key to their room at the time of registration and
move in. All students are responsible for turning in their key at the end of their
program and before leaving campus. If a student’s key is not turned in at the end of
their program, the student will be charged $85.00 – no exceptions! Keys are not to be
duplicated. Keys provided will open front door of building as well as assigned room.
If a key is lost or stolen, it should be reported immediately to the Performing Arts
Academy Director.
3. You may wish to bring personal equipment such as alarm clocks that run on batteries
(in case of electric problem), Telephones, and computers.
4. Laundry and vending machines are available in the residence halls. Ironing boards
and irons are available in each building. Ironing must be done on ironing boards and
not on beds or desks. Ironing must be done in the area provided for that purpose, not
in individual rooms. Laundry is located in the basement.
5. All halls are equipped with telephone lines. Each room is assigned a permanent
telephone number.
6. Keeping pets, possession or use of alcoholic beverages, firearms, or explosives
(including firecrackers), gambling, roughhousing, and construction or repair work by
residents are prohibited in residence halls at all times. No pictures or articles may be
tacked or fastened in any way to the wall, woodwork, furniture, or electric fixtures.
The possession or use of kerosene, gasoline, benzene, naphtha, or any similar
flammable fluid is strictly prohibited.
7. No cooking is allowed in the residence hall rooms. This includes electric hot plates,
fry pots, crock post, and toasters. Refrigerators are permitted (three cubic foot
maximum).
8. Use or possession of alcoholic beverages or illegal narcotics is prohibited on the
campus of Oklahoma City University, its facilities, and its property.
9. Opposite Gender Visitation Policy - University policy prohibits co-ed fraternization.
Specific wings of Walker Hall will be designated as either male of female residents
only. Visitors of the opposite sex are prohibited from entering wings or rooms of the
opposite sex AT ANY TIME with the exception of Performing Arts Academy staff.
Campers shall also be excluded from visiting areas not being used by the Performing
Arts Academy i.e. vacant floors of Walker Hall. Violations of the opposite gender
visitation policy will result in DISMISSAL from the program.
10. Congregating in Residence Halls - Students are not permitted to congregate in
hallways, common areas, or other students’ rooms one hour after curfew (11 p.m.
Sunday through Thursday, midnight Friday and Saturday) and prior to 7 a.m. One
hour after curfew, all students must be in their assigned rooms and remain there until
7 a.m. It is expected that ‘quiet hours,’ will begin each night at 11 p.m. and the rights
of other residents to sleep and have quiet study will be respected by all residents.
11. Noise Policy/Quiet Hours - An atmosphere conducive to study and sleep is necessary
in the residences and on the campus. The general expectation is that the residences
will be quiet at all times. Campus-wide quiet hours will prevail daily between 11
p.m. and 8 a.m. (9 a.m. on Sundays). Noise is a very serious issue in an academic
environment and in a close living environment and residents who are careless in their
responsibility toward others will be dealt with appropriately. Students who bring
stereos to campus must also bring headphones. Under no circumstances may stereos
or speakers be placed and played in windows or halls of residences.
12. Physical Violence and Harassment - Physical violence, verbal abuse, and obscene or
harassing language are strictly forbidden. Students engaging in such behavior will be
subject to disciplinary action up to and including dismissal from the Performing Arts
Academy. This regulation also applies to sexual harassment, which will not be
tolerated. Sexual harassment infractions may include but are not limited to:
 Unwelcome sexual advances – whether they involve physical touching or not;
• Sexual epithets, jokes, written or oral references to sexual conduct, gossip
regarding one’s sex life; comment on an individual’s body, comment about an
individual’s sexual activity, deficiencies, or prowess;
• Displaying sexually suggestive objects, pictures, or cartoons;
• Unwelcome leering, whistling, brushing against the body, sexual gestures, or
suggestive or insulting comments;
• Inquiries into one’s sexual experiences; and
• Discussion of one’s sexual activities.
In order to constitute sexual harassment, conduct must be unwelcome.
13. Tolerance of Others - Respecting the rights of other students presupposes that in the
close and diverse society of residence life, student expression of opinion will be
respectful of others and will be exercised in good taste and decency. Bigotry, hatred,
and intolerance have no place in the residential community. In displaying or
distributing expressions of opinion, students will be expected to show respect for the
aesthetic, social, moral, and religious feelings of others upon whom their views may
be imposed. Students living in the residences are entitled to expect that those with
whom they live will demonstrate tolerance for diversity and respect for privacy.