Ceremony's Singer Sets Sights on Broadway
Finals are nearly over. Graduation announcements are sent. And what's left for some graduates is the task of decorating the tops of their graduation caps and formulating an answer to “so, what's next?” Musical theater BFA candidate Eleanor Bernstein has all these things to do and more: She will sing the national anthem and the alma mater at this year's commencement ceremony.
Eleanor Bernstein plays Marta in the 2009 Summer Lyric Theatre production of Company. The musical theater major will sing the national anthem and alma mater at the Tulane 2011 Commencement Ceremony on May 12. (Photo by Michael Palumbo)
Bernstein is among several musical theater majors who plan to pursue a career in New York City after graduation. During the next few months, Bernstein hopes to bag an abundance of auditions, find a place to live in New York and sign up with an agent to expedite her entry into the industry. Her goal is to land a coveted spot with a national touring company.
But, first, there is the commencement performance ahead before Bernstein can fully focus on her future.
“I've been trying to sing everyday to prepare for commencement and, of course, the national anthem is like the hardest song to sing in the world,” says Bernstein, a native of San Diego. “I also haven't added any sparkles to my cap yet, either.”
In addition to performing with Summer Lyric Theatre, Bernstein also has been president of Green Envy, Tulane's oldest a cappella singing group.
She plans to move to the Big Apple in September. “Fortunately, I have a great support system of lots of family and friends in New York,” says Bernstein, daughter of provost Michael Bernstein. “If you want to do musical theater you really need to be in New York, so that's where I'm going to go.”
