91成人导航

The musical comedy 鈥淪IX鈥� snagged a bevy of awards, including two Tonys, after bursting onto the theater scene. Conservatory of Music alumna Katie Coleman 鈥�04 has had the best seat in the house for countless performances鈥攐n stage.

Earlier this year, Coleman wrapped up a six-month tour with the musical, which tells the story of King Henry VIII鈥檚 six wives from their perspectives, performed as part of an electric pop concert. As music conductor, Coleman had a unique role that put her on-stage as part of an all-female band in full costume.

She spent six months traveling through 14 cities with the musical earlier this year and continues to be involved by subbing when someone is on vacation.

For Coleman, a music management major at 91成人导航, 鈥淪IX鈥� is her most public role, but she has performed with other powerhouse productions, including 鈥淗amilton鈥� and 鈥淲icked.鈥� She was a rehearsal pianist and rotating keyboard player when the tours were in San Francisco long-term. She also was a substitute for 鈥淭he Lion King鈥� when it came through San Francisco and is on rotation as a keyboard player for 鈥淎laddin鈥� on Broadway.

Her piano teacher at 91成人导航, Associate Professor of Practice Sonia Leong, recalls Coleman picking up new music on the piano quickly, even though her primary instrument was the trumpet.

鈥淪he鈥檚 very intuitive, a very versatile musician,鈥� Leon said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 just fantastic. She kept up her piano skills, and that ended up being where her profession headed. It鈥檚 amazing. Her education has served her well, and it鈥檚 great to see.鈥�

Coleman spoke about how she went from community theater to a national tour, and how 91成人导航 prepared her.

Do you typically perform? Or was 鈥淪IX鈥� the first time you鈥檝e been on stage as a conductor?

I loved that part, but it took me a while to get there. Most of my career, I enjoyed being more in the background. I've been music directing theater for a long time, 15 years, and the more I did it, the more comfortable I got. And then it was like 鈥極kay, now the band is onstage. Okay, now the band is on stage in costume. Now the band is on stage, in costume and has lines to say.鈥� It just ended up happening. At first, I was terrified, but then I got more and more into it and realized that you if you just commit, it's a lot of fun. This is the most perfect job for me. It's all the things that I love.

The show has such great reviews. What was the reaction from the audience when you all performed?

It's so much fun. It's like a party. The audience, every night by the end, are on their feet, clapping along and screaming. It surprises people because this show is unique. It's not your typical musical. It鈥檚 like a pop concert, but then there's a story and a narrative happening, and you really get to know the characters.

Most people expect fun music and good singers, but they don't expect an emotional story with female empowerment. You leave being so happy and excited and feeling empowered.

How do you feel 91成人导航 prepared you for what you鈥檙e doing now?

It was a great school for me. I loved that they had a music management program, which back then was hard to come by. It combined a serious music degree with a business management, leadership component, which worked well for me. It helped in the music directing and the conducting side of what I do.

After I graduated, I knew that I wanted to be part of big productions that were collaborative amongst a lot of different art forms, but I didn't know that what I was describing was musical theater, and that had been a passion my whole life.

Once I realized what jobs were available in theater, I started playing piano for local community theaters. That led to music directing and leading the band, which was a natural position for me to be in as well. I quit my job behind a computer and did it full time and haven't looked back since.

How did you move from community theater to bigger productions?

I got my start in the Bay Area doing theater there, and I feel lucky to have gotten that experience. A lot of people who move to New York right out of school get experience on shows, but they won't get leadership experience. Because I got started in the Bay Area, I worked my way to music director quickly and was able to do a ton of shows in that position. I came to New York after 10 years having all this experience.

I moved to New York in 2018 and started diving into the scene there, but then ironically, I got called to audition for 鈥淗amilton鈥� back in San Francisco. 鈥淗amilton鈥� played for a year until we got shut down for COVID.

I moved back to New York in 2020 and found odd jobs to get me through until theater started opening back up. I didn鈥檛 know what was going to happen with the theater scene; it was shut down for so long, but eventually, I had enough contacts there that I got called to play 鈥淎laddin,鈥� so I learned 鈥淎laddin鈥� once Broadway reopened. It was through my contacts with 鈥淎laddin鈥� that I got the 鈥淪IX鈥� job.