Lauren Keefe is a senior majoring in Voice Performance and Pedagogy. She has been seen on the Hanaway stage at Silver in many different roles, including most recently as Cinderella in the ETC production of Cinderella and Nettie in Carousel. She was selected to be a top 23 senior and after she graduates Lauren is planning on potentially attending graduate school at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
The Clock: What is the most important thing that you do artistically and why is it so important?
Lauren Keefe: The most important thing that I do artistically is perform for the people that I love. That is what is most gratifying for me to see that I make other people happy through my singing and my performance.
Clock: What are some other things that you do and how did you get interesting in them?
LK: Really the first time that I started performing and became interested was with Trish Lindberg. When I was in about fourth or sixth grade I started performing with her and we would tour around to different schools doing shows that she had put together. She is partially what started me in becoming interested in it, and then from there I performed in the Educational Theatre Collaborative (ETC), where I performed in The Wizard of Oz, Fiddler on the Roof, Sound of Music and most recently I was Cinderella in Cinderella. My parents were also a huge help always wanting me to have as many opportunities as I could have. There were also my music teachers growing up Mrs. Scott, my music teacher in middle school, and all my teachers in high school, they started me into music, and from there I came here. I have also performed in Plymouth State College shows, most recently I was seen in Carousel. I have also been involved in Chamber Singers and College Choral, which are the two chorale ensembles at Plymouth State College, for eight semesters. Right now I am the chorale fellowship to Dr. Dan Perkins and I am also a student assistant. I am helping him to plan a trip to South Africa in June through my choral assistantship.
Clock: If you could make any dream involving your work come true, what would it be?
LK: My dream would be to perform professionally. Right now, mostly I sing classical music, so my dream would be to be an opera singer on the big stage, or, because I have done a lot of musical theatre, I would love to be an actress on Broadway. But, that’s my dream to perform. No matter what, as long as I am performing, my dream will be coming true, because for me music has always been just about being happy. Sometimes, though, when you put all the logistics and technicalities into it you start to get frustrated and stressed, but I kind of pride myself in just enjoying every time that I sing and knowing that if I am making people and myself happy, that’s my dream. To keep performing, no matter what, and to be happy doing whatever I do, because that’s all I care about, is just being happy and making other people happy. I know that I am so focused on being happy, but in my opinion, that is why you sing. If you are not happy, then you shouldn’t be doing what you are doing. You should always be doing something that you love.
Clock: Is there anyone who inspires you? What about their work generates your interest?
LK: In terms of famous people, they all inspire me, because I think that anyone who is having fun and performing is an inspiration. They seem like they are enjoying it and it makes you happy to see them be happy. But I also have a list of people who have inspired me personally. Trish Lindburg is an inspiration to me because through the stage I became more confident in myself and I think that pushed and motivated me as a person. I just feel like I got more confidence from her. Another thing that inspires me about her is her love for the arts, and love for music, and love for theatre. In the ETC, we work directly with children from the community and we go to elementary schools and we perform at the elementary schools in Plymouth. It inspires me to see how much she loves directing. And how much she loves to teach and how much she loves children. She just taught me a lot about myself and people and respecting other people. Before it was ETC, we went to a school called Crochet Mountain, which is a school for disabled individuals. I think that really taught me that you need to accept everyone and that’s what I love about Trish, she just accepts everyone and loves everyone and what they can do. She can find something in the person who thinks that they can’t sing or act, she finds something in them. It could be someone who thinks that they have nothing, but she will find something, because she is so loving and caring and open and nurturing. She’s just so accepting and she taught me to be accepting of everyone.
Another person that really inspired me is Dr. Dan Perkins, who is the professor of chorale activities at PSC. Dr. Perkins has taught me so much and has just inspired me an amazing amount throughout these four years. He is inspirational because of his drive for music and his drive for excellence in music and performing. Working with him and being his student assistant especially has shown me his motivation to teach people and to teach people to love music and to respect it. Both of them, Trish and Dan, have taught me that through music you really can touch so many people. I think that reflects on why I sing because you can go somewhere and make someone cry, like “I was having a really bad day and your song really lifted me.” What else can I say…sometimes there are no words to describe people who inspire you because they are just amazing, and that is how I feel about both of them.
Clock: Is there anyone that you consider a huge support?
LK: A huge support is my family, my mother and my father who have always supported everything that I do. They have always been the driving force behind me. I have been very fortunate to have parents that have supported every decision that I have made. Others that support me are my brother, who goes to auditions with me, and my friends, and also God. I thank God everyday for the blessings that he has given me and for the support of my family and my friends and my teachers, and the music and theatre faculty, and the community. I have been extremely blessed by a supportive community. You know that saying, “It takes a village to grow a child”? That’s me. That’s my life. It was the support of everyone to help me become who I am.
Clock: How has Plymouth State College helped you?
LK: It was a risk, coming to a college in the town that I grew up in, and I auditioned here not planning on going to school in my home town. But I loved this school and I thought that the department fit everything that I wanted. The facilities, the people, the faculty, everything just felt like it was the best fit for me. Even though it was in the same town that I grew up in, I still felt like I was going away from home. It was hard for me to make the decision to come here, and Plymouth has helped me to realize that it was the right decision because of all the amazing opportunities that they have both in and outside the music department here. It gave me opportunities that I wouldn’t have had at other colleges. Everyone both inside and outside the music department has just been so supportive, and I think that has also played a part in how much Plymouth has helped me.
Clock: Is there anything coming up that you are involved in?
LK: Sunday, April 27 is my senior recital which is my closing of my four years here. I am singing everything ranging from English Art Songs, Spanish pieces, German pieces, to opera arias and music theatre. And I am also singing at graduation. We also have a Bon Voyage concert on June 12 for South Africa for Chamber Singers before we head to Africa for our tour.