Prior to completing his graduation requirements this summer to become a member of Catawba College’s Class of 2017, Theatre Arts major Ashton Tibbitt staged a reading of his first original full-length musical entitled “Hi, I’m Al.” Tibbitt is now enrolled in the MFA Musical Theatre Writing Program at NYU Tisch School of the Arts where he began taking classes Sept. 1.
Tibbitt’s musical developed through an undergraduate practicum course, “Musical Theatre Writing,” designed in collaboration with Dr. Bradley Stephenson, an assistant professor of theatre arts at Catawba. Throughout the semester, Tibbitt and Stephenson met once a week, one-on-one, to discuss how Tibbitt’s musical was developing, particularly in regard to the book and lyrics. The practicum culminated with the May 1 reading of his piece, during which current Catawba students and alumni read through the first act and the final scene with talk back and discussion afterwards.
Tibbitt shares that he plans to be back in Salisbury for Homecoming Weekend 2016 and will present a new song at the Blue Masque Hall of Fame Cabaret which precedes the Blue Masque Hall of Fame Awards and Induction Ceremony on Friday, October 28.
