Performing arts professor honored with William S. Long award
by Marlena Chertock, April 13, 2010
A high-pitched voice flows out under the door singing “Part of Your World” from Disney’s movie “The Little Mermaid.”
Suddenly, another voice asks the first to stop, listen to the piano pitch and try again. The singing begins once more.
Behind the door, Elon University’s performing arts professor Catherine McNeela is hard at work helping a student during a one-on-one voice lesson. She has many of these meetings with students, listening to them perform and helping them to improve.
McNeela has recently been awarded the William S. Long Endowed Professorship, a prestigious honor, by the Elon’s president, Leo Lambert.
McNeela came to Elon 20 years ago and began the performing arts program. McNeela said she and several other professors created a Bachelor of Fine Arts in music theater, a Bachelor of Fine Arts in acting and dance, a B.A. in theatre studies and a B.A. in design tech.
“I was so honored to receive the William S. Long Endowed Professorship,” she said. “I’m guessing that’s why I got the award. Because the music theatre program, which is my baby.”
Elon’s music theatre program is now considered one of the top in the nation, according to McNeela. The rise of the program happened in a relatively short amount of time.
“What dramatically changed is the number of students interested in being in this program,” McNeela said. “(It’s) much more competitive.”
There were three musical theatre graduates in 1995. In that year, six people auditioned for the program and three were chosen. This year, 400 high school seniors auditioned for the freshmen class. Only 16 to 20 students spots are available.
The strength of the performing arts program is its faculty, according to McNeela.
To become a program that stands out “you really need to be what we call the triple threat,” she said. “Equally fabulous acting teachers, dance teachers and voice teachers. And the faculty is filled with people who love to teach but also are professionals in the real world.”
McNeela said the program tries to foster a healthy, competitive atmosphere. She said the faculty teaches students to sing, act and dance as well as how to be good team players and good human beings.
“I love that about us,” she said. “I love that my students are grateful, and I remind them of that all the time.”
Theatre is a program that needs to remain current, McNeela said.
“I will always be trying to improve what we do here until I go off to the home,” she said. “Because the industry is constantly changing. A big need right now … is to teach pop styling. There’s so many musicals now that really require that kind of voice.”
McNeela most recently directed the Grand Night of Singing 18 an annual performance where all the music theatre majors come together and perform. She said she tries to give the students the responsibility to run the show.
McNeela will have more time to spend with students individually and to direct shows like Grand Night. The William S. Long award offers money and a course release.
She said the money will be wonderful because she will be able to attend shows, take classes and travel to Los Angeles to meet with casting directors. McNeela said these opportunities will make her a better teacher.
“Dr. Lambert told me I get a big medallion so I’m really looking forward to that because a girl can’t have too much jewelry,” she said.
McNeela seemed wary of the other aspect of the award, where she is only required to teach one course.
“Frankly, I won’t take that because I can’t give up anything that I do right now,” she said. “I don’t want to give up teaching voice, and I don’t want to not direct, and I don’t want to not teach my performance in music theatre class or my senior seminar. Maybe they can give me a pink pony instead. I’ll take that.”