At Flagler, Professor Taisey teaches courses in the Theatre Arts major and Music minor, the only programs in the Department of Performing Arts. He also directs several musical groups on campus, including the selective Key of Seas Contemporary A Capella Ensemble and the Flagler College Chorale, a non-auditioned choral group open to all students.
Q. What is your favorite course to teach at Flagler, and why? How do you make this course engaging for your students?
A. This is a hard question for me to answer. There are a few courses that, while I’m teaching them, are my favorite during that moment. At the end of the day, I love working directly with students to help them understand and wield the tools in the actor’s toolbox to convey a clear story to an audience. I am fortunate to get to engage with Theatre Arts students in this manner through required courses like “Acting I,” electives like “Musical Theatre Scene Study,” and others like the one-credit “Cabaret & A Capella Ensemble” course.
Q. What makes the opportunities within Flagler's Department of Performing Arts valuable for students of all majors and experience levels?
A. There are opportunities for students of all majors, minors, and experience levels to make music. Chorale is a non-auditioned choral ensemble where all are welcome. Key of Seas is an audition-only Contemporary A Capella Ensemble. Cabaret is an audition-only ensemble (and one-credit course) where students have the opportunity to craft and perform a cabaret focusing on the lyrically driven art form. Pep Band is an audition-only ensemble for students who wish to continue playing their instrument. All these ensembles get students involved in other areas of campus activities and community relations.
Q. Can you describe your role as the Director of the 'Key of Seas' Contemporary A Capella Ensemble at Flagler College? Additionally, how have the new 'Music Ambassador' work-study positions influenced both the ensemble and the broader Flagler College community?
A. I am the Director of the Key of Seas Contemporary A Capella Ensemble. My responsibilities in that role include selecting and writing the repertoire, rehearsing the ensemble, and preparing them for performances. I also organize performance opportunities and manage the schedule.
The Music Ambassadors make up a new student-led ensemble that rehearses independently under my supervision. These students prepare specific repertoires for events at Flagler College and in the community, such as Christmas carols during the holiday season and Spanish pieces for the Spanish Food & Wine Festival as well as performances of the alma mater and other tunes for academic ceremonies like Commencement (see below). Students earn these paid positions through auditions, demonstrating reliability and a strong work ethic. This compensation allows them to dedicate extra time to rehearsing and performing, which is a rare privilege in academia.
This initiative has been transformative. We receive numerous requests for performances throughout the year, often extending beyond the academic calendar. Previously, I felt uncomfortable asking students to commit to these additional performances on top of their heavy rehearsal schedules, coursework, or part-time work. Now, with paid positions, students can manage their time better, even those with packed schedules.
Q. How do you connect with the local St. Augustine community through your work at Flagler?
A. Music! We go into the community and sing at various events throughout the year. We just completed our eighth season of caroling in the community for the holidays. Since music brings people together, I believe that through our performances, we provide a service to the community.
Music Ambassadors caroling on Spanish Street (2024)
Q. Can you describe your area of expertise and what initially sparked your interest in this field?
A. My path was indirect. My undergraduate training is in Choral Music Education, and I still have a passion and love for choral music. This was also when I gained my respect for pedagogy and teaching methods, really learning how to teach.
During my senior year, I auditioned for my university’s production of “West Side Story” and was cast. That experience changed my professional trajectory. After graduating and teaching for a year, I went to graduate school to get my MFA in Musical Theatre.
My real training in the realm of musical theatre, however, wasn’t from my master’s degree or even my professional experience from 2005-2015. It’s been from the decade of teaching I’ve done here at Flagler College. The last 10 years of instructing musical theatre have been where I learned to hone my craft in storytelling by working with the students. I’ve learned so much in my time here.
Q. What is your teaching philosophy, and how do you implement it in your classroom?
A. In a nutshell: I want to teach myself out of a job.
My goal is to teach my students to be independent and make myself progressively unnecessary. I want to leave them with a knowledge and understanding of the tools at their disposal. They won’t master them in our time together, but they will be set on the path of craft. I implement this in my classroom through constant reflection and intentional rehearsal.
Q. How do you integrate your research or professional experiences into your teaching? Can you provide an example of a project or assignment that reflects this?
A. I just completed a sabbatical dedicated to writing and arranging for the choral and theatre ensembles. With this time, I was able to study and write for the specific needs of the students that make up my ensembles at Flagler College. There are a variety of challenges that make it difficult to find a pre-existing musical repertoire suitable for the makeup of our group. This experience helps me to both write for them, and adapt existing material as needed.
Beyond that, I regularly attend professional development summer workshops in both music literacy and actor training that directly inform my curricular design and assessment. I am always looking for ways to better communicate and find efficiency in my approach to the work we do in the studio. For example, last summer, I attended an intensive workshop with New York City’s Fiasco Theatre Company. I have integrated many of their methods into my acting class and will also use them in the production of “Little Women” that I’m directing this spring (2025) at Flagler. I also recently instructed a “Storytelling through Song” program through the Northeast Florida chapter of the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS), where I taught attendees about incorporating storytelling techniques from the acting studio to the vocal studio.
Q. Can you share a memorable moment or accomplishment from your time at Flagler that stands out to you?
There are many, but writing the College’s alma mater for the 50th anniversary with my colleague Craig Woelfel was especially meaningful.
Directing the production “The Old Man and The Old Moon” in 2019 was also tide-turning in my approach to teaching and storytelling with an ensemble. It was through the trust built in that production process that I was truly able to embrace my philosophy of prioritizing the process over the product. I will always remember that ensemble for teaching me that lesson so effectively.
Taisey takes notes on stage during 2019 rehearsal
Q. What activities or hobbies help you relax and recharge outside of work?
A. Time with my family, writing, and organizing my spaces (as weird as that sounds). I also just got a Polycade with all the classic arcade games on it; that makes me pretty happy.
