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Singing for the Cleveland Browns and their fans at the city's lakefront stadium provided a very different, challenging and "exhilarating" stage experience.
Part of being a Broadway-caliber performer is handling anything that's thrown at you with poise and confidence. Just before Sunday's NFL clash between the Cleveland Browns and Miami Dolphins, a group of 14 Baldwin Wallace University music theatre majors proved they have what it takes.
The students were chosen to sing the national anthem prior to the start of the game before a huge crowd of 63,762 at Huntington Bank Field, with BW President Lee Fisher there to cheer them on.
“It was a challenging yet thrilling performance environment from the intense rain, loud echo from the stadium, and fireworks going off in front of you,” said Caleb Smith '27.
Eden Susong '26 summed up the experience this way: "Singing the national anthem isn't that difficult on its own, but when you add pelting rain and wind, NFL players running behind you, a camera in your face and thousands of fans watching, it makes you a little nervous. Even with nerves and excitement, I think the Conservatory has trained us well enough to know how to stay together, especially with the delay in sound."
Added Abby Horn '26, "Performing in such a large stadium required us to stay completely locked in with one another to stay together and in tempo."
After an early morning sound check and rehearsal, the students enjoyed a spread of food provided by the Browns' gameday team. After performing the anthem, they took their seats to watch the Browns pull off the team's second win of the season.
Horn said, "The Browns crew were some of the kindest and most welcoming people I've met — they made us feel so supported and appreciated from the moment we arrived. This was actually my first professional football game, so getting to perform and see a win made it even more special. Some might say we were their good luck charm!"
"Most of us have never even been to an NFL game," Susong said. "But what a great first experience! It was exhilarating, and who knew theatre kids and football mixed this well?"
