Mar
11
Each year students roll out to audition for the Union Programming Board’s annual Sooner Idol competition. Ten of those students are chosen to compete. One wins. Last year, that winner was Vocal Performance major Keegan Josephson, a freshman at the time. Channeling the one and only Adam Levine for his first round song, Keegan worked the mic stand, danced, and sang his way to the top 4. His second round song took everyone back to his or her childhood. Choosing “Go the Distance” from the popular Disney movie Hercules, Keegan showcased his range and tackled notes that would make any vocal instructor proud. And he may have earned himself an admirer or twenty in the process.
Keegan has since been seen singing around campus in several different venues. From Sooner Scandals to the BYX A Capella group to performing his own song at the Mr. OU pageant last year, he has become a familiar face and friend to many of us. However, there’s one genre of music that Keegan excels at that we don’t get to hear year round. This weekend, just short of a year after winning Sooner Idol 2012, Keegan made his OU Theatre debut as Bardolfo in the comedic opera Falstaff.
I will be honest. The opera was long. Like, a solid two and a half hours long, but I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed it and found myself laughing the whole way through. The plot revolves around Sir. John Falstaff, an old, overweight knight who has eaten himself into poverty (with the help of his two followers/thieves Pistola and Bardolfo). In an effort to alleviate his monetary burdens, Falstaff writes two identical letters to two wealthy married women. Of course, the women discover his treachery and the rest of the play concerns their plans to take the overweight knight down a few notches (In measures of pride that is. Falstaff’s belt notches stay exactly where they are).
Bardolfo, played by Keegan, serves as a source of comic relief throughout the show, and the part wonderfully showcased his strong tenor voice and great acting ability. How he managed to keep singing after falling off a bed, getting thrown across a floor, being smacked with brooms, and jumping/climbing onto most of the props, I might never know. All I know is that I was rolling with laughter any time Keegan was onstage, especially during the last scene when he is disguised as the maiden Nannetta and appeared to feel a little too comfortable wearing a replica of her dress. I can’t put my finger on why I thought that, but it might have been the twirling. That’s right. He twirled. And his hair for the performance looked scarily like that of Edward Cullen in the first twilight movie, which he actually pointed out himself after the show. Fortunately for him, I let it slide and not taint my opinion of his overall performance, which was truly fantastic. The kid’s what we call a triple threat- a master of singing, dancing, and acting.
And it all started with him winning UPB’s Sooner Idol a year ago.
At least, that’s what we’re telling people.
Auditions for Sooner Idol 2013 are March 27th and 28th. We’ll have more info on our website, facebook page, and twitter soon!
-Dehra McGuire
UPB Secretary and Sooner Idol Chair
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