Coach Kara

A few Costa Rica memories.
One of our highlights was the river rafting. I’m thankful we had a some rafting experience before the trip.
Every time I go river rafting it’s out of my comfort zone . 😁💦🛶☀️🌲

Summer! 🌲☀️🦌🐴⛰️🐾

Next Up....🎭
I'm working as a Choreographer and Acting Coach at The Shedd Institute’s E. Y. Harburg Academy for Musical Theatre this summer. It's our High School three week intensive program.
E. Y. Harburg Academy's Summer R***e is a 3-week musical r***e and training camp dedicated to providing high school performers with intensive skill building in the fundamental areas of acting, voice, and dance towards the pursuit of their craft.
The Harburg Academy's R***e was established to provide a regional training opportunity for young performers, grades 9-12, to further develop and hone existing skills in the core musical theatre disciplines of voice, acting, and dance. Students will work under the guidance of professional coaches.
This summer, The R***e presents Almost Like Being In Love: The Lerner & Loewe Songbook, a tribute to the legendary songwriting team's 5 musicals, Brigadoon (1947), Paint Your Wagon (1951), My Fair Lady (1956), the film musical Gigi (1958), and Camelot (1960).
Almost Like Being In Love: The Lerner & Loewe Songbook will be in the Jaqua Concert Hall for two performances; 3:00 and 5:30pm on Saturday, August 1st. Adults $10.00, Youth $5.
Enhancing the core training, workshops in dialect study, elocution, audition preparation, and technical production skills will be sprinkled throughout the schedule, creating a rich & multi-faceted sampling of the kind of professional training required to succeed in a college program and beyond.
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See you at the theater!
Love, Coach Kara

Happy Independence Day!
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Happy July my friends! ☀️🇺🇸🌟

We had a wonderful time watching the Jimmy Awards livestream and celebrating these incredibly talented "human teenagers," as the MC Bowen Yang so aptly described them.🎭
We kept the Kleenex close by as we enjoyed one entertaining performance after another. Seeing Sydney and Caden represent Oregon on the Broadway stage brought plenty of goosebumps and proud moments.
The creativity, talent, collaboration, and overall energy were contagious. Being a part of the Jimmy Awards has been one of the highlights of my directing career. As a director, I couldn't stop thinking about how we'd successfully stage 116 students on one stage with limited rehearsal time. Seeing them perform, it's clear that every single one of them shines.
Congratulations to all the nominees and finalists. What an extraordinary celebration of young artists and the future of musical theatre!🎶🌟
I'm attaching the live stream in the comment section and you have a few days to watch the full ceremony.

In theater, I always remind my students that there are no small roles in a musical. Having spent many of my performing years in the ensemble, I've come to appreciate just how essential that group is to every production. As we often say in musical theater, the ensemble is "the hardest working group in the theater." Everyone works incredibly hard, of course, but there's something special about the ensemble. They help create the world of the show, support the storytelling, and bring energy to every moment on stage.

One of the things I treasure most is the opportunity to learn from everyone around me. I learn by watching fellow performers, observing directors and choreographers at work, and gaining insight into the technical side of production. Seeing how all the pieces come together is part of the magic of musical theater. Every role, every person, and every contribution matters.
Theater is a collaborative art form, and every member of the company helps create the magic.
https://www.onstageblog.com/the-training-studio/2026/6/21/great-ensemble-members-make-the-whole-show-better?utm_id=97758_v0_s00_e0_tv1_a1demonjq0rcpr&fbclid=IwY2xjawSk0XBleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFabVgyeW53NVVvSFo3NDhXc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHvcnj4v6LBNyrZ63cr-Dsg1WoXszkkiq4KlDVYkTg6YeNPZeJRnrdIZHBlI9_aem_oulD9OkSIZ9_kAVC0jiTIg

Great Ensemble Members Make the Whole Show Better — OnStage Blog The strongest ensemble members bring focus, generosity, preparation, and energy to every rehearsal and performance. Here’s why great ensemble actors often become the people directors remember most.

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Birthday week highlights. 🌲☀️🎂🐾🎁

Theater is made up of so many moving parts, but the greatest reward comes when all the hard work is finally seen on stage. The real joy, though, is sharing the experience with an amazing group of people who bring the magic to life. ☀️Behind the scenes are the family and friends who support us every step of the way, encouraging us and celebrating the passion, creativity, and community that make musical theater so special.🎶🎭

I knew where our 2009 "Oklahoma!" show sign was, but it wasn't until later that I spotted 2013 "The Music Man" sign in the Hult Center backstage photo wall. Funny enough, it had been right above it all along. 💜
I was very happy to be back in this magical space.