Sotto Voce

by Emmy Potter

FULL LENGTH PLAY (with music). Dr. Beverly Sutherland is the most coveted, exclusive, and famously demanding voice professor at Dearborn College in the upper Midwest. Everybody who’s anybody in the opera world either knows or has studied with “Dr. B,” so when the humble but gifted Cameron and privileged, fame hungry Becca discover they’re the only two freshmen to earn a spot in Dr. B’s studio, the new friends...

FULL LENGTH PLAY (with music). Dr. Beverly Sutherland is the most coveted, exclusive, and famously demanding voice professor at Dearborn College in the upper Midwest. Everybody who’s anybody in the opera world either knows or has studied with “Dr. B,” so when the humble but gifted Cameron and privileged, fame hungry Becca discover they’re the only two freshmen to earn a spot in Dr. B’s studio, the new friends are determined to prove they’ve got what it takes to succeed. Initially, Cameron has a rocky start with Dr. B, while Becca uses her father’s money and connections to her advantage. By junior year, the tables have turned, with Cameron’s star rising and an increasingly jealous Becca’s star falling, leading to an explosive turn of events for all three women that alters the trajectory of their lives and careers forever. Sotto Voce is about the things that go unspoken–between friends, in classrooms and rehearsal halls, and most importantly, inside of ourselves–and how we find the courage and compassion to let our true selves be heard.

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Sotto Voce

Recommended by

  • Jack Greenwood: Sotto Voce by Emmy Potter
    “

    Playwright Emmy Potter has infused this marvelous piece with the admiration for the craft of opera, while also showcasing the brutal shadow side of this world. Few people can marry these difficult subjects with such grace, but in SOTTO VOCE Potter has created something so rich in character, you'll be glad to take a trip to this world.

    Playwright Emmy Potter has infused this marvelous piece with the admiration for the craft of opera, while also showcasing the brutal shadow side of this world. Few people can marry these difficult subjects with such grace, but in SOTTO VOCE Potter has created something so rich in character, you'll be glad to take a trip to this world.

    ”
  • Joshua Taylor Piper: Sotto Voce by Emmy Potter
    “

    This play is a must read for anyone who has been a musician or a trained vocalist. The play thrives on the humor that comes from music and being trained on it. Then the constant back and forth of competition, and classic want of that first chair position that I was so familiar with as a retired band kid. As always Potter has written something that is just a joy and heartfelt to read. Need to see it staged!

    This play is a must read for anyone who has been a musician or a trained vocalist. The play thrives on the humor that comes from music and being trained on it. Then the constant back and forth of competition, and classic want of that first chair position that I was so familiar with as a retired band kid. As always Potter has written something that is just a joy and heartfelt to read. Need to see it staged!

    ”
  • E. Klaumann: Sotto Voce by Emmy Potter
    “

    A daring and dynamic dive into the cut-throat world of classical musicians, vocalists in particular. As a classically trained musician myself, I find the characters and their experiences relatably real. The comparison game is brutal, and Potter brilliantly tackles the issue with both teeth and compassion.

    A daring and dynamic dive into the cut-throat world of classical musicians, vocalists in particular. As a classically trained musician myself, I find the characters and their experiences relatably real. The comparison game is brutal, and Potter brilliantly tackles the issue with both teeth and compassion.

    ”

Character Information

4 W, 1 M
  • Cameron
    humble, the "big fish in a little pond' of her rural Missouri hometown
    18-30
    Female
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Woman
  • Becca
    a spitfire, wealthy Texan with an ego as big as her home state
    18-30
    Female
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Woman
  • Dr. Beverly Sutherland
    their highly coveted, demanding voice teacher
    60s
    Female
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      50s,
      60s,
      70s+
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Woman
  • Dean Joyce Fleming
    the milquetoast head of the performing arts school
    50s
    Female
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      40s,
      50s
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Woman
  • Max
    a cute Russian Literature major who becomes Cameron's supportive husband
    21-32
    Male,
    Male presenting
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Man

Development History

  • Reading, University of Nebraska-Omaha, 2026

Awards

  • Inkslinger Playwriting Contest
    Southeastern Louisiana University
    Semi-Finalist
    2026