The Morgan family shares how music, especially participating in the same musical play, connects them as a family
From singing in the car to singing on the stage, Mele, Lola and Sam Morgan said music connects them as a family. Performing in BYU–Hawaii’s production of “Into the Woods” was an opportunity to learn from each other and grow as performers, they said. Speaking about Mele Morgan’s two children, she said, “Anytime I have the opportunity to watch these amazing humans perform and do the thing they love, it just helps my heart beat deeper, harder and love more.”
A musical upbringing
Mele Morgan, being taught piano and violin at a young age and having a professional opera singer aunt, said she wanted her children to grow up in a musical environment like she did. Sam and Lola Morgan agreed they were surrounded throughout their upbringing by musicals like “The Sound of Music,” “Newsies” and “Oliver”. Lola Morgan explained, “There were very few times when we were listening to mainstream contemporary Christian music or pop, or anything like that.”
Sam Morgan, growing up with asthma, allergies and eczema, said having this musical influence helped him find a passion for performing when he wasn’t able to participate in other activities like sports. Before performing in “Into the Woods,” Sam Morgan said he participated in many other plays like “Romeo and Juliet.” “Seeing [the other male performers] who were applauded for singing and dancing was a step in the right direction for me. I was influenced by the people I saw on screen,” he shared.
After getting a callback for the musical, the Morgan Family said they were excited to be part of it, especially for Mele Morgan to be part of it with her children. “We all found out when we were at the family's soccer game with our nephews and nieces, which is fun because it feels like we’re being picked out one by one through the call,” she shared. Lola Morgan said she was jumping up and down when she was given the role to be Cinderella. For Sam Morgan, he said he felt relieved when he was asked to be Jack. “I was mostly excited because it’s pretty rare to get a disappointing callback,” he explained.
Finding new depths through performance
Performing in the same play, the Morgan family said they learned how to give and receive feedback from one another, especially during rehearsals and after performances. One of the biggest challenges for Sam and Lola Morgan was portraying rivalry onstage. “I respect Sam as a performer, so when he gives me notes, it can be hard not to think, ‘You’re just saying that because you’re my little brother,’” Lola Morgan said. She added that learning to separate their sibling relationship from their roles helped her accept constructive criticism. “When we’re doing something, we have to give it 100 percent,” she said. “If we don’t, it doesn’t feel worth doing.”
Lola and Sam Morgan said they felt more grown up discovering something new within themselves because of performing together. Lola said seeing Sam turn into a professional especially during rehearsals felt nice as she has seen a different side of him. “We'd be joking around as siblings, and then the minute rehearsal starts or we have to start focusing, he's back to being professional,” she said. As for Sam Morgan, he said he learned he was more emotional than he had realized. He found that when he allowed himself to truly feel what was happening in the play—rather than trying to act emotional—the tears came naturally.
To work effectively together, the Morgan Family shared one of their traditions as a family which is to drive around town and sing together in the car. Lola Morgan said doing these types of traditions with her family made her feel more vulnerable. “When you’re doing the things that you love with the people that you love too, it just brings you closer together,” Lola Morgan said.
For future plans, Sam said he cannot confirm nor deny if he will be in the next semester’s play, "Peter and the Dreamcatcher." For Lola, she said she was more into musicals and wanted to take a break for a while before auditioning again.