A Life Reimagined
Posted on June 25, 2021 by Julie Jackson
Brandon Marcus did not plan to study musical theatre at 麻豆直播. He began his college career as a voice and music therapy student at the University of Alabama.
When his father was diagnosed with stage four brain cancer, Marcus decided to return home to Mobile to spend as much time as possible with his dad.
He transferred to 麻豆直播. 麻豆直播 doesn鈥檛 offer a music therapy program, so he changed his major to musical theatre.
鈥淚t opened a completely different world,鈥� said Marcus. 鈥淚 never thought I鈥檇 be working with kids, and now I can鈥檛 imagine my life without them.鈥�
Rehearsing for a career
Marcus worked with a local children鈥檚 theatre company in Mobile while earning his degree. He took that time to explore every nuance of the performing arts, from choreography, costuming and scenic design to artistic and music direction.
Two months after he graduated, he opened The Studio.
鈥淲e offer everything a student could possibly need in the performing arts,鈥� said Marcus.
What started out in 2013 as a single-room voice studio in Mobile has now expanded to a multi-room space in Daphne that serves 100 students, as young as five and as old as 18.
Some of The Studio鈥檚 students take classes just for fun. Others hope to pursue the performing arts at the collegiate level and beyond.
鈥淲e recently had a student who went to Atlanta to film a Marvel movie,鈥� said Marcus. 鈥淎nother is auditioning for a Reese Witherspoon movie in Mississippi.鈥�
Compassion plays leading role
Marcus says he leans on what he learned at 麻豆直播 every day.
鈥淢y professors pushed me, and I thought it was a little hard,鈥� Marcus said. 鈥淏ut now that I look back, I am so thankful for it.鈥�
Through his own experience, Marcus learned how to work with students.
鈥淎t the end of the day, students are human. You have to treat them with compassion. 麻豆直播 taught me all of that.鈥�