Collin Geter, 2024 School of Theatre and Dance alumnus, has joined the ensemble of “Moby Dick” at The Metropolitan Opera, from March 3 through March 29. We sat down with Geter to learn about his journey in the arts.
Graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in theatre studies and a minor in digital media production, Geter didn’t always dream of the spotlight. “I didn't start doing theater until I was in my sophomore year of high school. I always played sports like wrestling, basketball, baseball and martial arts,” recalled Geter, “but I'd never picked up theater until sophomore year of high school.” His first experience with theatre was in a production of “Mary Poppins.” When Geter’s friend was nervous about auditioning, he promised to “be right there in line with them” for the audition. Both were cast, beginning Geter’s journey in musical theatre.
While at Kent State, Geter met mentors who helped shape his path. Geter foraged a friendship with Adam Newborn, a 2024 master of fine arts alumni. They first starred together in “Corktown” as a father and son. Geter later looked to Newborn as a mentor, enrolling in his Suzuki Method class. Another mentor Geter found at Kent State was Jennifer Korecki, associate professor of musical theatre. “She was just an incredibly warm connection for me to have,” said Geter. “I always found time to have office hours with her to see what I needed to be doing to get better. It just made i my experience in college what I wanted to be, rather than what somebody else was telling me it was going to be.”
As a student, Geter took the initiative and became involved in many shows and student organizations. The first production he was in was a play by B.J. Tindal over Zoom. “They’re a great playwright and we created this story with them, which was a really fun experience.” Geter also starred as Benny in “Rent” and was an ensemble member in “Passage” and “Urinetown.” He even portrayed Caiaphas in Porthouse Theatre’s “Jesus Christ Superstar.” Beyond acting, Geter was a fight coordinator for a Blackbox Series production called “Dog Sees God” and was an assistant director for “365 Days” with Courtney Brown, associate professor of voice and acting. Geter was also the vice president of the Black Theater Association, leading him to produce and direct Black shows like “The Color Cabaret” with president, Noah Christopher.
The Met is one of the most prestigious opera houses in the world, but Geter feels that his experiences helped prepare him for this opportunity. “Honestly, being so involved during college, I was constantly building up that stamina for when I needed to go out into the more professional world,” said Geter. His experiences as a performer and fight coordinator gave him a unique edge when auditioning for “Moby Dick.” Geter comprised a portfolio of stage combat and fight choreography and sent it to people at The Met Opera. This landed him an in-person audition, where the auditionees were taught a series of choreography. Geter, along with another person, comprised their own fight scene. After the audition, he was offered a role as a climber and ensemble member.
“Honestly, being so involved during college, I was constantly building up that stamina for when I needed to go out into the more professional world,” said Geter.
In this role, Geter joins the operatic retelling of “Moby Dick” of the sailors aboard Captain Ahab’s ship, The Pequod. The production makes use of a unique stage, where the raked floor flows into curved walls, creating the illusion of a wave. Rungs of a ladder are placed on the walls to allow amazing stunts and climbing, making it a physically demanding show. “We're doing a lot of running around–there's always something that needs to be lifted or dragged out, carried out or tied down. These rungs are on the back of the ship, people climb them and slide down the wall when the ship breaks apart. If you're not doing that, you're climbing these steel ladders that swing, about 30 to 40 feet in the air.” There is a climactic moment in the show for the actors, a racial conflict escalates into a knife fight and, eventually, a riot. “That's just been a really fun process that we've been working on since the first day of rehearsal.”
