Overview
Erica Steinhagen is an actor and voice teacher specializing in Musical Theatre and Contemporary Commercial Music (CCM). For the past 20-plus years, as the owner and lead instructor of the Erica Steinhagen Voice Studio, Erica has provided exceptional training for pre-professional and professional performers, as well as young singers aiming to enter collegiate programs.
Erica's extensive teaching experience includes conducting audition coaching, performance workshops, and masterclasses, privately, at Ithaca College and in New York City. Her comprehensive voice instruction covers essential areas like basic music theory, ear training, and diction, as well as acting, expression, and style, ensuring students are well-prepared for auditions and professional opportunities. Erica's approach integrates classical vocal techniques with modern practices, helping students explore their artistry and develop a versatile skill set relevant to current industry expectations.
In addition to her teaching, Erica has a rich performance history. She is a member of Actors' Equity Association, the labor union representing American Actors and Stage Managers in the theatre. She has had the privilege of performing with prestigious regional theatres, experimental venues, and small opera companies for over two decades. Her work includes big musicals, small plays, creating original roles in world premiere operas and musicals (some of which were written expressly for her), as well as developing and performing a one-woman cabaret across multiple theatres. A very select few favorites include The Drowsy Chaperone with Casey Nicholaw’s original Broadway staging, the Baker’s Wife in Into the Woods, Ludmilla in Polly Pen’s Bed and Sofa, Mabel in The Pirates of Penzance several times and Edith once, Jellylorum the Opera Cat in Cats, Helena in One Hot Kitchen, a world premiere with the Metropolis Opera Project in NYC, Heidi in What the Constitution Means to Me, Helen in Fun Home and Mrs. Potts in Beauty and the Beast. Erica has contributed to transformative theatre projects with The Cornell Interactive Theatre Ensemble focusing on DEI training and education, and has appeared in commercials and independent films, as well as countless voiceovers for various media.
Erica’s educational background includes advanced training in vocal performance, pedagogy, and movement – specifically an independent graduate study in the Feldenkrais technique from Ithaca College (BM, Voice Performance), On the Edge, a performance-based class at Juilliard, and twice attending Bel Canto Can Belto workshops with Mary Saunders Barton and the Penn State voice faculty. She has further honed her skills with training from industry experts including Sheri Sanders by taking part in her Rock the Audition teacher training for pop and rock musical theatre auditioning, Alaine Aldaffer for acting, and Joe Calarco for Viewpoints. She continues to seek out training and education to deepen and enrich her teaching and performance.
