Riley Schermerhorn ’22
Lindsay Owen is Mercersburg Academy’s vocal coach and theater music director. Additionally, she is a Mercersburg parent, the mother of Langley ‘24. Owen grew up knowing she wanted to be involved with music. She said, “I started singing in my church choir at the age of four and fell in love with choral music.” Around the same time, she learned to play the piano, which became another one of her passions. She was also involved in musical theater in high school, joining the cast for both Oklahoma and Bye Bye Birdie. Owen then went on to Vanderbilt University, where she studied music.
Before coming to Mercersburg, she was the choral director at a large church in North Carolina, where she directed six children and youth choirs and taught vocal music. She also performed in musical theater during this time. Owen came to Mercersburg in 2006 along with her husband Lee Owen, who works in the communications office. When they moved to Mercersburg with one-year-old Langley, she wasn’t planning on finding a job. “Richard Rotz found out I was a vocal teacher and hired me immediately. He said they had been looking for a vocal teacher for a while. It was perfect timing,” Owen said. She loved life at the academy and has been working ever since.
Owen took over the role of music director for Stony Batter in 2019, two weeks before Chicago opened. She has subsequently directed the music for Mamma Mia and most recently for A Chorus Line, in addition to helping with the audition prep process. During the day, she serves as a vocal coach to many Mercersburg students.
Owen also has established the tradition of giving out pins to the cast members in all of the Mercersburg shows in which she has been involved. Currently, Owen is starting her work as the music director on Heathers: The Musical at The Maryland Theater.
Her favorite part about Mercersburg, says Owen, is, “Absolutely the students!!! I love the students almost like they are my own children.” She has also kept up with the majority of her graduated students. While students not involved in theater may not interact with Owen on a regular basis, she has had an extremely positive impact on her students and the school as a whole. Just ask any of her students, and you will hear nothing but glowing reviews.