Student Receives Vocal Coaching & a Role in Sister Act

Imagine practicing your golf swing with Tiger Woods or learning guitar with Eric Clapton. That’s the equivalent of the vocal training opportunity Molly Palmer ’27 experienced with Broadway and TikTok star (2 million+ followers!) Emily Kristen Morris, who starred as Elsa in Frozen at the Paramount Theatre in Chicago the Elphaba standby on the Broadway National Tour of Wicked, Morris is also the owner of the world-renowned voice studio EKM Vocal Studio.

Palmer portrayed Dolly in KO’s recent Hello, Dolly! production, which required her to carry several powerful show tunes—“I Put My Hand In,” “World Take Me Back, “Love Look in my Window,” and “Before the Parade Passes By”—among ensemble pieces as well. As a young singer, Palmer needed help developing her vocal health, as her voice would flag during the grueling rehearsals. 

Kyle Reynolds, KO’s Director of the Performing Arts and Hello Dolly, secretly booked a 30-minute training session on Zoom for Palmer with Morris.

“I got on the call and was like, ‘Oh my gosh. She’s famous on TikTok!’” Palmer recalls. “She was super sweet and had amazing advice. I learned so much in such a short time.”

The session focused on protecting her voice during the high-stress performance season, especially during tech week—a demanding period when fatigue can take its toll on vocal cords. Palmer learned how to relieve tension in the larynx through specialized breathing techniques and vocal stretches. One exercise, taught by her other coach Steve Mitchell, involved synchronizing hand movements with breath to ease throat tension.

“It’s hard to explain, but it’s about making sure everything stays relaxed. You don’t want to strain,” Palmer explains. “It really helped.”

“I got on the call and was like, ‘Oh my gosh. She’s famous on TikTok!’” Palmer recalls. “She was super sweet and had amazing advice. I learned so much in such a short time.”

She and Morris worked on adjusting the shape of her mouth to minimize strain without changing the lyrics. “You kind of add a little cry behind the note and open your mouth vertically rather than spreading it wide,” Palmer explains. “It totally changed how the song felt and sounded.”

After the Hello Dolly performances in late February, Palmer submitted her audition video to the Seven Angels Theater for Sister Act. Palmer received a call from director Marissa Perry—best known for her Broadway turn as Tracy in Hairspray—offering her a role in the ensemble. As one of the singing, dancing nuns, Palmer is diving into a demanding rehearsal schedule: weekday evenings, weekend marathons, and a full tech week running from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

“I’m so excited,” Palmer beams. “It’s a lot, but this is what I want to do.”

Support from KO has been instrumental in making this opportunity possible. Teachers have worked with her to accommodate her schedule, showing enthusiasm for her achievements. “They’re being super flexible with due dates,” she says. “I don’t think I could do this if the school wasn’t so supportive.”

Music runs in Palmer’s family—her dad sang and did theater in college. “I only know him as my dad, so it’s funny to imagine that,” she laughs. But her mature and powerful voice, which draws praise from everyone around her, seems to have deep roots.

Though she doesn’t model herself after any one singer, Palmer says she’s drawn to a wide range of voices. “I love Kelly Clarkson, and I’ve always admired Sara Bareilles. I saw her in Waitress when I was younger and was blown away.”

Despite her poise, Palmer admits she still gets nervous—just not until the very last moment. “I’m fine all through tech week, even the day of. But once I’m in costume backstage, that’s when it hits me,” she says. “But as soon as I’m on stage, it goes away.”

Her unique method for memorizing lines—writing out only the first letter of each word—helps her internalize dialogue quickly. It’s a trick she learned at theater camp and now swears by. “It’s like having training wheels,” she says. “It triggers my memory in a weird but effective way.”

For Palmer, Sister Act is more than just another show—it’s a stepping stone toward a future she’s already preparing for with discipline, passion, and gratitude. She’s exploring her dream early, backed by teachers who believe in her, family roots in the arts, and an unstoppable work ethic.

“This is ultimately what I want to do,” she says. “And I feel like now is the time to really go for it.”