The first graduate of the program was Pamela Myers. In true "showbiz" fashion, she boarded a Greyhound Bus for New York City to seek fame and fortune. Her first Broadway audition was for a new musical written by a young composer and based on a series of one-act plays about life in the Big Apple. She sang a country and western song, "Little Green Apples" and was cast in the role of Marta. The composer was Stephen Sondheim; the musical was Company and nightly Pamela stopped the show singing "Another Hundred People." A year later she was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Supporting Actress. Most recently, she returned to CCM as a guest artist, playing the role of Jeanette Burmeister in our production of The Full Monty.

Since then, CCM has graduated many students who have made a name for themselves as performers, directors, musical directors, choreographers and producers. And we have continued our association with the Tony Awards, with the coveted statuette going to such names as Faith Prince ('79) for Guys and Dolls, Michelle Pawk ('85) for Hollywood Arms, Stephen Flaherty for Ragtime,  Kevin McCollum ('84) as producer of the musicals In the Heights, Avenue Q and Rent, and Karen Olivo for West Side Story.

In 1999, the Musical Theatre Program celebrated its Thirtieth Birthday with a gala concert in the newly renovated Corbett Auditorium. It featured performers from each of the three decades of the program including Pamela Myers, Michelle Pawk, Jim and Bob Walton, Mark Waldrop, Jason Graae, Sharon Wheatley, Cindy Marchionda, Beth Blankenship and Cheryl Sylvester as well as Lisa Howard and the CCM Musical Theatre "Stars of Tomorrow." The Master of Ceremonies for the occasion was Jack Rouse and the concert was directed by Aubrey Berg, current holder of the Patricia A. Corbett Distinguished Chair of Musical Theatre. In the audience were Helen Laird, Patricia Corbett, Oscar Kosarin, Jeff Saver, Terry LaBolt as well as many graduates of the program and the faculty who had taught them over the past thirty years.

The Opening Number of the Birthday Bash Concert performed by
Musical Theatre majors.

 
Patricia A. Corbett chats with Jeff Saver and Michele Pawk at the
reception following the Gala Concert; Jason Graae performing
"You're Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile"

    
Jim and Bob Walton reveal the true story of Romulus and Remus; Aubrey Berg and
The "Old Spice Girls": Donna Grummich, Catherine Moore, Patricia Linhart, Shelley Bamberger and Carol-Ann Mary
 

In 2009, we will be celebrating the 40th Anniversary of the Musical Theatre program at CCM with a production of Hair, master classes by returning alumni, a keynote address and a gala cabaret by some of CCM's reigning  divas.

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