by Madison Matous
OPAS opens their “Positively Enchanting” season with the a cappella group VoicePlay. VoicePlay made its national debut on the hit show “The Sing-Off,” but their journey didn’t end there. The group has become an internationally-acclaimed touring sensation, and it’s easy to see why. VoicePlay will not only amaze with their musical talent, but with their humor.
We got a chance to catch up with Geoff Castellucci, the “bass” man of the group.
MW: How long have you been performing together? What unique things do each of you bring to the group?
VP: Believe it or not, VoicePlay has been around since 2001, but this cast has been singing together since 2012. Each member of the cast brings a little something unique to the table. Clearly we all have different voices and skills, but I bet you didn’t know that Layne (our drummer) has a closet full of My Little Ponies, did you?
MW: What was it like to be on the show “The Sing-Off”? What are some favorite memories from that experience?
VP: We certainly had some high points and low points on “The Sing-Off”, but we wouldn’t trade that experience for anything. The sheer amount of hard work and sleepless nights that go into creating a show like that just can’t be explained adequately in ink, but when I say 15-17 hour days every day for weeks and weeks, I’m serious. There are way too many favorite moments to share, but I think seeing Home Free crowned the champions of Season 4 was way up there. Those guys are just the best and it was great to see them win it all.
MW: You guys seem to have quite the relationship with “the Mouse,” can we expect any Disney songs to be performed during the show?
VP: Living in Orlando certainly affords us a unique opportunity to make some magic and yes, you can absolutely expect a little pixie dust at the show.
MW: You obviously have a lot of fun together, how does this silliness come to life in the show?
VP: In too many ways to describe. Let’s just say, a VoicePlay performance isn’t just a “Stand-and-sing-at-you” experience. We want you to have FUN and if you have to throw giant marshmallows at us to make that happen, then that’s what we’re going to do.
MW: Can you give us a hint as to what surprises you might have in store for Aggieland?
VP: Shhhhh…It’s an Aca-Secret.
Geoff Castellucci was born in Alexandria, VA and with well over 10,000 professional a cappella performances to his credit, has been singing since he can remember. His earliest musical memories are of playing the piano at his grandfather’s house in upstate New York when he was just five years old. Recognizing musical talent and terrible dance skills, Geoff’s parents enrolled him classical and jazz piano training. From that doorway to music, Geoff branched out to vocals and guitar, but still loves to play the keys. Geoff got his first taste of a cappella through singing in the middle school choir, but didn’t really develop as a “bass man” until high school when he co-founded VoicePlay (then 42Five) with Layne, Earl, and former members Scott Porter and Michael Kilgore. The brainchild behind many of VoicePlay’s onstage antics, Geoff finds his creative outlet in penning arrangements for the act and coming up with new and innovative ways to embarrass the cast on stage.
The guys can be seen in Rudder Auditorium on Thursday, September 17 at 7:30 p.m.. This is their only performance in Aggieland, so make sure to get your tickets early, because you won’t want to miss this. Tickets run from $15-$45, with special prices for all area students, and can be purchased through the MSC Box Office or on their website www.MSCOPAS.org.
