Collin Geter, 2024 School of Theatre and Dance alumnus, has joined the ensemble of , from March 3 through March 29. We sat down with Geter to learn about his journey in the arts.
Graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in theatre studies and a minor in digital media production, Geter didn鈥檛 always dream of the spotlight. 鈥淚 didn't start doing theater until I was in my sophomore year of high school. I always played sports like wrestling, basketball, baseball and martial arts,鈥� recalled Geter, 鈥渂ut I'd never picked up theater until sophomore year of high school.鈥� His first experience with theatre was in a production of 鈥淢ary Poppins.鈥� When Geter鈥檚 friend was nervous about auditioning, he promised to 鈥渂e right there in line with them鈥� for the audition. Both were cast, beginning Geter鈥檚 journey in musical theatre.
While at 麻豆视频最新最全, Geter met mentors who helped shape his path. Geter foraged a friendship with Adam Newborn, a 2024 master of fine arts alumni. They first starred together in 鈥淐orktown鈥� as a father and son. Geter later looked to Newborn as a mentor, enrolling in his Suzuki Method class. Another mentor Geter found at 麻豆视频最新最全 was Jennifer Korecki, associate professor of musical theatre. 鈥淪he was just an incredibly warm connection for me to have,鈥� said Geter. 鈥淚 always found time to have office hours with her to see what I needed to be doing to get better. It just made i my experience in college what I wanted to be, rather than what somebody else was telling me it was going to be.鈥�
As a student, Geter took the initiative and became involved in many shows and student organizations. The first production he was in was a play by B.J. Tindal over Zoom. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e a great playwright and we created this story with them, which was a really fun experience.鈥� Geter also starred as Benny in 鈥淩ent鈥� and was an ensemble member in 鈥淧assage鈥� and 鈥淯rinetown.鈥� He even portrayed Caiaphas in Porthouse Theatre鈥檚 鈥淛esus Christ Superstar.鈥� Beyond acting, Geter was a fight coordinator for a Blackbox Series production called 鈥淒og Sees God鈥� and was an assistant director for 鈥�365 Days鈥� with Courtney Brown, associate professor of voice and acting. Geter was also the vice president of the Black Theater Association, leading him to produce and direct Black shows like 鈥淭he Color Cabaret鈥� with president, Noah Christopher.
The Met is one of the most prestigious opera houses in the world, but Geter feels that his experiences helped prepare him for this opportunity. 鈥淗onestly, being so involved during college, I was constantly building up that stamina for when I needed to go out into the more professional world,鈥� said Geter. His experiences as a performer and fight coordinator gave him a unique edge when auditioning for 鈥淢oby Dick.鈥� Geter comprised a portfolio of stage combat and fight choreography and sent it to people at The Met Opera. This landed him an in-person audition, where the auditionees were taught a series of choreography. Geter, along with another person, comprised their own fight scene. After the audition, he was offered a role as a climber and ensemble member.
鈥淗onestly, being so involved during college, I was constantly building up that stamina for when I needed to go out into the more professional world,鈥� said Geter.
In this role, Geter joins the operatic retelling of 鈥淢oby Dick鈥� of the sailors aboard Captain Ahab鈥檚 ship, The Pequod. The production makes use of a unique stage, where the raked floor flows into curved walls, creating the illusion of a wave. Rungs of a ladder are placed on the walls to allow amazing stunts and climbing, making it a physically demanding show. 鈥淲e're doing a lot of running around鈥搕here's always something that needs to be lifted or dragged out, carried out or tied down. These rungs are on the back of the ship, people climb them and slide down the wall when the ship breaks apart. If you're not doing that, you're climbing these steel ladders that swing, about 30 to 40 feet in the air.鈥� There is a climactic moment in the show for the actors, a racial conflict escalates into a knife fight and, eventually, a riot. 鈥淭hat's just been a really fun process that we've been working on since the first day of rehearsal.鈥�
