Recently, Abbey students were treated to a unique opportunity. Hearing that the touring company of the musical Hamilton was performing in Providence. Portsmouth Abbey Head of Performing Arts Jeff Kerr arranged for cast member Blaine Krauss to travel to Portsmouth to conduct a workshop with five student-musicians on selected pieces. Mr. Krauss provided the students with constructive feedback and oversaw exercises designed to bolster their confidence and performance for this truly unforgettable experience.
Madison '25 performed "Lost in the Brass" from the musical Band Geeks and summarized her experience with Mr. Krauss: “I was expecting to get advice about not being as nervous. The main activity he did with me was to make my song a ‘Songalouge,’ where you speak the lines so that you can really understand the emotions of the song. After this, I sang it again, and I truly feel that his advice was incredibly helpful! He was so kind and welcoming, and, in my opinion, made everyone feel as comfortable as possible on stage.” Madison explained how she felt the exercises would help her in future performances for multiple reasons. “First of all, he gave me advice that can be applied to any song that I'm going to perform. Also, he helped me feel more comfortable on stage, which is something that will definitely help me in the future! I am so happy that we were able to have this opportunity! “
Many thanks to Mr. Krauss and to Mr. Kerr for making this extraordinary opportunity possible!