A music recital usually means a formal setting for classical music perhaps sung in a different language. An upcoming Sterling College music recital will be more like a musical revue which will include music theatre songs, with staging, a sense of character and even a little tap dance.  Rachel Thomson, Hutchinson, will be presenting her Senior Music Theatre Recital on Thursday, April 18, at 7 p.m. in Culbertson Auditorium on the College campus. 

Thomson is a familiar face to anyone who has seen a Sterling College musical in the last four years. She has been Elle Wood in Legally Blonde, the musical; Benny Southstreet in Guys & Dolls, Buttons in Newsies, and the Witch in Into the Woods, among many others. She will also be one of the first two official Musical Theatre Majors to graduate from Sterling College.

Thomson’s journey to Sterling College was a circuitous one. Having been on stage extensively in musical productions at Hutchinson’s Family Children’s Theatre and Buhler High School, Thomson knew she wanted to pursue performance as her major in college. After graduating from high school in 2020, Thomson headed to New York City to attend the American Musical Dramatic Academy. But she found, due to COVID, that the school was not producing shows nor was she able to attend class in person. She ended up doing classes by Zoom in her apartment. 

Having been involved with several summer musical theatre productions with the Sterling Community Theatre Troupe, Thomson was familiar with the Sterling College program and decided to attend for the spring semester of 2021 so she could have in-person classes and be on stage. She was cast as Brenda, the female lead, in the musical Catch Me If You Can. Through that show she met and worked with New York based choreographer Travis Nesbitt who came to Sterling to choreograph the show. Thomson ended up being Dance Captain and taught and honed choreography after Nesbitt returned to New York. 

What initially was to be a one-semester experience before heading to a music theatre program elsewhere ended up being a 3.5-year commitment during which time Thomson has been in 11 shows including two plays and nine musicals, including four that she choreographed on her own and six in which she was Dance Captain under Nesbitt. She has also performed in summer stock in Minnesota and locally in Sterling summer musicals and competed at the American College Theatre Festival regional conference where she was named top dancer.  

After her first semester at Sterling, Thomson realized the experiences and opportunities she was having at Sterling could help prepare her for a performance-based career. She said, “I am most thankful for the opportunities that SC has given me. Whether that is getting to be onstage, work with Travis, or be able to choreograph and lead a production—I’m thankful!”

For her Musical Theatre Recital Thomson will be performing songs from some 12 shows including Waitress, Some Like It Hot, and Wicked. She said her favorite number on her bill is “If You Knew My Story,” from Bright Star, which has music by Steve Martin and Eddie Brickell. Thomson said, “I adore the bluegrass style of Bright Star and Alice is a dream role of mine, so getting to sing her songs makes me so happy.”

She finds the Sondheim number “The Worst Pies in London” to be the most challenging of her recital. “It’s Sondheim so this song is incredibly challenging in terms of its music and characterization. But it is so rewarding at the same time. I got to see Sweeney Todd twice this year on Broadway and so it’s important to me that I do a good job, “Thomson said.

Thomson will be performing with several of her Sterling College Music Theatre colleagues for her recital. She will be doing a couple duets and a larger group number, “Cell Block Tango” from Chicago. Thomson choreographed and staged all the numbers for her recital.  

Thomson has been a voice student of Marisa Callan, Sterling College Music Theatre faculty member, who will be accompanying her recital. Thomson sums up her time at Sterling saying, “I have grown as an artist immensely in my time at Sterling. Marisa has helped me completely transform my voice into an instrument that I can control, rather than just use. I also believe that I have grown as an actor in my time here. There are so many emotions and so much direction in between the lines of the script/score, and Sterling has helped me find and realize that.”

This summer Thomson will be performing at Crane River Theater in Kearney, Nebraska as Babette in Beauty and the Beast, and Cynthia Weil in Beautiful: The Carole King Musical. She will also be the Dance Captain for both productions. In September she plans to move to New York City to continue pursuing her performing arts career. 

Rachel Thomson’s Music Theatre Recital on Thursday, April 18 at 7 p.m. is free of charge and open to the public. 

Sterling College is a Christ-centered, four-year college located in Sterling, Kansas, with a mission to develop creative and thoughtful leaders who understand a maturing Christian faith. For more information, visit www.sterling.edu.