Performing Arts
“All the world’s a stage."
– William Shakespeare
The Performing Arts at MCHS are open to all Marquette Catholic High School students and include a variety of theatrical opportunities both on and offstage. As part of MCHS Theatre, students may participate in mainstage productions, stage crew, workshops with guest artists, field trip opportunities, improv teams and student-written plays. Additional events and activities are offered throughout the year, and students may participate in as many facets of theatre as interested. Active participants in stage crew and performance may letter in Theatre and earn membership into the prestigious International Thespian Society, the honor society for student theatre artists.
The Arts Calendar 2022-2023
The Arts Calendar 2022-2023
Theater Production
- Friday, September 2 - Auditions for Fall Play
- October 14 & 15 - Fall Play, 7:00 PM on the Ruth Klaus Stage
- January, TBD - Six The Broadway Musical at The Fox
- Friday, January 13 - Auditions for Spring Musical
- April 13, 14, & 15 - Spring Musical, 7:00 PM on the Ruth Klaus Stage
Music Performances
- Tuesday, September 13 - Drumline Festival at SIUE
- Friday, September 16 - Drumline Pep Rally performance
- Wednesday, September 14 - Chorus : Homecoming Mass
- Sunday, September 18 - Chorus : Mass in the Plaza
- Tuesday, October 18 - Fall Chorus Concert
- Friday, October 28 - St. Louis Symphony Concert
- November, TBD - Taken-Jordan Hospital Thanksgiving Holiday Performance, 12:30pm
- December, TBD - Community Caroling Outreach
- Saturday, December,10 - Christmas Choral Concert
- Wednesday, February 1 - Catholic Schools Week - Bishop Mass
- Saturday, March 4 - IHSA State Contest
- Friday, March 17 - Perform at the Student Art Show at Jacoby Arts Center
- April, TBD - Coral Festival at Greenville University
- April 13-15 - Peter Pan Broadways Timeless Musical
- Saturday, April 22 - MCHS Vocal Competition
- Thursday, April 27 - Spring Choral Concert
- Thursday, May 14 - Baccalaureate Mass at St. Mary's
- May-June - Drumline Season Begins
Student Visual Arts Show
- Friday, March 17 - Student Art Show at Jacoby Arts Center 6pm
Illinois High School Association
- Saturday, March 4 - IHSA Solo & Ensemble Competition
Music Awards Ceremony
- TBD
National Anthem Solo Performances
- Varsity Sporting Events
- Other Community Events
Marquette Chorale Masses
- Opening Day School Mass (during school)
- September 14 - Homecoming Mass (during school)
- Tuesday, November 1 - All Saints Mass (during school)
- Wednesday, February 1 - Catholic Schools Week Mass with Grade Schools (during school)
- Wednesday, February 22 - Ash Wednesday Mass (during school)
- Thursday, May 11 - Baccalaureate Mass at St. Mary's Catholic Church, 7:30 PM
Fine Arts at Marquette Catholic High School
- Experienced faculty
- Choristers perform with the St. Louis Symphony at the St. Louis Symphony Holiday Concert
- Fall Play
- Winter Production
- Spring Musical
- Intern/Shadow Opportunities with the Muny
- Musicals with Full Orchestra (includes Alton Symphony Orchestra and Air Force Band members)
- Students participate in nationally-recognized summer programs
- One-Act Original Plays by current students
- Student-written sketch comedy productions
- IHSA State Music Contest
- Chorus students participate in all School Masses
- Dual Credit Music Appreciation Courses (3.0 college credits)
- Masterclass instructors have included soprano Christine Brewer, Dr. Emily Truckenbrod (voice), Dr. Marc Schapman, and Conductor Ted Arthur
- Performances at Jacoby Arts Center at the annual Jacoby Arts Show
- Outreach Performances at Ranken Jordan Hospital
- Christmas Caroling at area hospitals and assisted care facilities
- Former students have been employed by the Muny, SIUE Productions, and Union Avenue Opera
- Students are taught a range of theater aspects besides acting which include – Stage/prop design, playwriting, directing, audio/visual tech, special effect design/production, choreography, as well as theater production and live-streaming technology seminars (via partnership with OnTheStage NYC)
- Collaboration with Art Club for set pieces, props, and stage design for full length productions
- Students have won numerous scholarships and awards to colleges and scholarship foundations (which have included winners of the Miles Davis Jazz Scholarship, scholarship to Interlochen Center of the Arts, Recording Industries of America, and more)
- Students are currently employed as ushers at the Muny and casted in shows at Goshen Theater Project.
- St. Louis Symphony Outreach performances at MCHS scheduled for 2023
- Advanced theater students become members of International Thespian Troupe (#602)
- This year marks our inaugural Drumline Class (PE and Music Elective Credit)
- Students now have a range of music electives which include Chorus, Music Theory, Music Appreciation (Dual Credit), Group Piano, and Music Literature (Dual Credit).
For more information, feel free to email Mr. Klaus, Director at [email protected]
2022 Summer Camp Workshop Instructors
2022 MCHS Music Theater Camp Masterclass Clinician, Dr. Marc Schapman
Marc Schapman completed a Doctor of Music in Voice Performance at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. A native of Iowa, Mr. Schapman received his Bachelor of Arts from Luther College and his Master of Music from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music.
His operatic credits include Mime in Siegfried, Loge in Das Rheingold, Goro in Madama Butterfly, George Gibbs in the world premiere of Ned Rorem's Our Town, Pheron in the Opera Circle of Cleveland world premiere of Thamos, King of Egypt, Spoletta in Tosca, Bardolfo in Falstaff, Kaspar in Amahl and the Night Visitors, Gastone in La Traviata, Don Basilio in Le Nozze di Figaro, Ralph Rackstraw in HMS Pinafore, Nanki Poo in The Mikado, Nelson Deadly in Too Many Sopranos, A Grand Night for Singing, the Tanzmeister in Ariadne auf Naxos, Harry Easter in Street Scene, and many others.
Concert appearances include the Festival Corale Internationale di Roma (Rome, Italy), Handel’s Messiah, Gounod’s St. Cecelia Mass, Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis, Rossini’s Stabat Mater, Mozart’s Coronation Mass, Mozart’s Requiem, and Beethoven’s 9th Symphony. He made his Carnegie Hall debut singing the world-premiere of Edwin Penhorwood’s An American Requiem.
Currently, Mr. Schapman serves as Professor of Voice and Director of SIUE Opera and Musical Theatre. In addition to his SIUE duties, Mr. Schapman serves as a voice teacher for Opera Theater of St. Louis' Artists-in-Training and Program Coordinator for the Opera Theatre of St. Louis Spring Training program.
Mr. Schapman is also an in-demand music director and choral conductor. His choirs have previously performed in the Festival Corale Internationale di Roma in Rome, Italy. In 2018, he led the Illinois Ambassadors of Music choir on their European tour, and he will return in the 2020 to lead the choir once again. Mr. Schapman has also conducted over 40 musical and opera productions during his tenure at SIUE.
In 2012, he was named a recipient of the National Association of Teachers of Singing Emerging Leaders Award, an award given to a teacher within their first 10 ten years of instruction who display outstanding teaching and service to the national organization. In addition, Mr. Schapman received the 2012 SIUE College of Arts and Sciences William and Margaret Going Award Endowed Professorship. Awarded to one faculty member in the College of Arts and Sciences, this award recognizes a faculty member for outstanding teaching and accomplishments in creative activity.
Mr. Schapman’s students are regular winners in local, regional, and national competitions, including: the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, National NATS Student Classical and Musical Theatre Auditions, Central Region NATS Classical and Musical Theatre Auditions, Southern Illinois Young Artist Organization Vocal Competition, St. Louis Chapter NATS Classical and Musical Theatre Auditions, Opera Theatre of St. Louis Artist-in-Training Adjudication, FOX Performing Arts Competition, Union Avenue Opera Crescendo Program, and the SIUE Concerto Competition.
Individual Voice Coachings and Instruction (students should bring 1 or 2 songs)
Vocal Masterclasses with Marc Schapmann (Voice Professor, SIUE; Instructor, Opera Theatre of St. Louis Artist-in-Training Program)
Acting/Diction Classes with Amy Guenther.
Choreography Classes with Rachel Brady of The Creative Dance Studio