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INPERSON
Meant for the Stage
USC alum Kara Mikula pursues her dreams with a career in musical theater .
Photo by THE GINGERB3ARDMEN : Chad Wagner & Steven Trumon Gray
“ hasn ’ t always been sunshine and roses , but I ’ ve always known one thing to be absolutely true — I was meant for the stage ,” says Kara Mikula .
Mikula , 39 , is a 2002 graduate of Upper St . Clair High School . “ My family moved to Upper St . Clair near the end of my sophomore year in high school ,” she explains . “ So , I really only spent my junior and senior years there — but I absolutely loved it .” Mikula was involved in everything related to music and theater — having played the violin and piano since she was just 3 years old , as well as studying dance , and getting into singing and theater during middle school .
At USCHS , Mikula was the president of the orchestra , the choir and the theatre / thespians group . She was also in the marching band as a co-captain of the color guard . She participated in the wind symphony and played the bassoon , while also performing as a member of Chanteclairs . Mikula also competed in PMEA District , Regional , State , and National Chorus and Orchestra .
In addition to school-related activities , Mikula participated in the “ Side by Side with the Symphony ” program with Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra , and won first prize in the Civic Orchestra ’ s Young Artists competition on piano — getting to play a piece with the orchestra in a concert held at USCHS . “ I am proud to say that I graduated USCHS as a Presidential Scholar and I had straight A ’ s from elementary school through graduation ,” she adds .
In middle school , Mikula ’ s dance teacher , Sue Richard , introduced her to voice teacher Sandra Eames Greciano , and
BY NICOLE TAFE
Mikula studied with her from middle school through high school , and throughout college . “ She originally wanted me to focus on opera , but I could never quite roll my r ’ s for the languages !” says Mikula . “ So , she started teaching me some musical theater songs , and that ’ s how I got bitten by that theater bug !
“ Sandy was the only voice teacher I have ever studied with — to this day !” she continues . “ She recently passed away and it was a huge loss for me . She taught me everything I know , was like a second mother to me and I owe her so much . Because of her , I have what we refer to in the industry as ‘ brass pipes ’— my voice never , ever fails me , and I can sing anything . I teach the exact technique that she taught me to little kids aspiring to be on Broadway . I have had multiple students on Broadway in such shows as ‘ Mary Poppins ,’ ‘ Richard III ,’ ‘ Finding Neverland ,’ ‘ Bonnie and Clyde ’ and more .”
Following high school , Mikula had her sights set on Point Park University to study musical theater , but in the last few months of her senior year , she was diagnosed with myasthenia gravis — a rare neuromuscular autoimmune disease that causes severe weakness across the board in every muscle in the body . “ It took months to figure out what was wrong with me and by the time we did , the disease had really taken over . I had blurry and double vision , couldn ’ t keep my eyelids open , I lost all facial expression , I lost most of my soprano range , I couldn ’ t lift my arms above my head or climb stairs , let alone try to hold a violin or play the piano . It was truly a nightmare ,” she recalls .
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