Stepping into Lead Roles: ISU Alumnus Takes on Cats and More

From tackling the demanding choreography of Cats to stepping into lead roles at a moment’s notice, ISU theatre alumnus, Nathan Templeton, shares his behind-the-scenes experiences and preparation for the productions Cats, Guys and Dolls, and Little Shop of Horrors at the Utah Festival Opera.

Q: What roles did you play in each of these productions?

A: I played Skimbleshanks in Cats; Rusty Charlie, Nathan Detroit, and Benny Southstreet in Guys and Dolls; I played Mushnik in Little Shop of Horrors and covered Seymour Krelborn in Little Shop of Horrors.

Q: What was it like to be part of the Cats, Guys and Dolls, and Little Shop of Horrors productions at the Utah Festival Opera and how did you prepare for your roles?

A: It was entertaining to be a part of multiple shows at the same time. Cats was my favorite show to work on because it is so rare when you get an opportunity to work on Cats. Cats was very dance-heavy and was a difficult show to sing and dance to. The costumes and makeup were unlike any show I've done before. 

Prepping for Cats was interesting because it is a completely sang-through show, meaning there is no spoken text. So rehearsals are almost exclusively dance rehearsals. Guys and Dolls was my whirlwind. I was cast for three tracks in that show. My primary was Rusty Charlie, and I was cast as the cover for the leads, Nathan Detroit and Benny Southstreet. It was challenging learning lines for two of the male leads when you’re also onstage going through your journey with your character. I found it particularly challenging to learn the lines for both characters in a scene between the two of them. Felt like I was left talking to myself. Thankfully because I had understudy experience here at ISU I knew the tips and tricks on how to stay ahead and be prepared. 

During the rehearsal process for Guys and Dolls, I even got multiple chances to go on for Nathan Detroit and showcase the work I put in. My experience with Little Shop of Horrors was also unique. I wasn't originally cast in that show but when I got to Logan, Vanessa Ballam asked me if I could add one more role this summer and that was to understudy Stefan Espinosa as Seymour! That was an easy rehearsal process for me. Because I was offstage I only had to focus on one character, so it wasn't chaotic.

Q: What challenges did you face in performing such a physically demanding show like Cats, and how did you overcome them?

A: The biggest challenge with Cats was stamina. It was by far the most physically demanding show of the season but also the most rewarding. We had to rehearse in rehearsal tails, knee pads, and jazz shoes. Not only was Cats a dance-heavy show, but we also were on our hands and knees a lot throughout the show. So not only did we have to stretch our hamstrings for our high kicks, and our shoulders for our partner lifts, but we also had to be good about stretching our wrists and ankles for all of the floor work we had to do. Although it was hard on our bodies it was so fun to be able to feel like a kid and play like cats onstage. Another thing that led to my success in the Cats rehearsal process was sleep. It was very evident in rehearsals when you didn't sleep well the night before. Because my rehearsal days often ran between 9:00 AM - 10:00 PM, if I didn't prepare my body for that extended working period, my work and stamina showed that.

Q: What was it like to step into the role of Mr. Mushnik in Little Shop of Horrors with just two hours' notice, and how did you handle that pressure?

A: This was the craziest part of my whole summer. I woke up to a phone call from Vanessa at 10 AM saying that our Mushnik, Lee Daily, was sick and couldn't go on for the 1 PM matinee. I was cast as the Seymour Cover so I didn’t know his part. Thankfully, almost all of Mushnik’s scenes involved Seymour, so how I approached learning his part in 2ish hours was flipping the scenes in my brain. Since I knew where Seymor was in his scenes, I had to think of where Mushnik was and go there. Thankfully Mushnik only has one song where he is the primary singer and that was another song that Seymor sang, so I knew the tune and was familiar with the song. So the only challenge for that was learning his lyrics. 

Believe me, as I was getting into hair, makeup, and costume I could feel the pressure. It wasn’t like a normal cover where you've had time to prepare, I was sitting in the makeup chair with a script in hand flash memorizing my lines. But after the opening curtain went up, I can only describe it as a black-out moment for me. I just clicked into work mode. I knew what I had to do, I hooked into my character. Given the circumstances, I had a prop clipboard with my lines on it for emergencies and the show went on without a stumble. Going home after that performance, I sat with myself and just thought, “I can't believe I just did that.” A job that seemed nearly impossible somehow seemed so possible. 

I have to give props to the ISU theatre team and Vanessa for again teaching me everything I know about covering and being prepared for anything. I ended up performing a total of three performances as Mushnik before Lee Daily felt better. 

Q: Winning the Michael Ballam Vocal Competition is a significant achievement. How has that recognition influenced your confidence and future aspirations in theater?

A: Performing in a vocal competition in an opera company is as hard as you think it is. It is a competition full of some of the best singers in the company singing songs that showcase their voices the best. Thankfully I participated in the Michael Ballam Vocal competition last year and got into the finals. 

This year I went with the idea of ‘musical theatre is about storytelling.’ Yes, anyone can sound good, but one of my favorite things about musical theatre is the journey our songs can take our audiences on. Make them feel something. I chose two songs that focused on that aspect. My Semi-final song was “Favorite Places” from Ordinary Days. I performed as Jason here at ISU in 2020 directed by Stefan Espinosa. For my final, I sang “I’ll Save the Girl” from Superhero. Being able to say I won a vocal competition is a first for me and it gives me so much confidence. In theatre I'm constantly trying to not rely on outside validation for me to continue my work, so when I get that praise, it means that much more to me. Plus, what a cool credit!

Q: Any other thoughts or things you’d like to share?

A: Working at UFOMT again really reminds me how lucky I am to have studied at ISU for my undergrad. I've gone to other workshops and festivals in the past like Open Jard Broadway Institute in NYC, and every time I go there I'm shocked by what my peers know and don't know about theatre. 

Vanessa Ballam and Stefan Espinosa have taught me so much valuable information about the theatre world that I think a lot of programs in the area are missing. One of the biggest reasons is that Vanessa and Stefan are active working professionals in their field. Just as an example, Vanessa is very in-the-know about agents and the business side of theatre because she works for the administrative team at UFOMT. She has a special insight into the business side of theatre, what directors are looking for, how to advocate for yourself, contract negotiation, etc. That is knowledge beyond the scripts in class and singing onstage and how to be successful in the business. She also is very knowledgeable about covering and the importance of holding yourself accountable. 

In theatre, things can change in an instant (for example my Mushnik situation this summer). You can never be complacent in your work, but you have to be constantly working on it, prepared for anything.