By Emily Worrell
A single spotlight shines on the stage of Clay’s auditorium. A table with two chairs, one of them occupied, sits on the stage, along with a backdrop of a 1950’s style street. The crowded auditorium falls silent as Sophie Miller, eighth grade, stands from her chair and begins to sing.
This year’s musical is “Guys and Dolls, Jr.,” in which Miller played the role of Miss Adelaide.
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Sophie Miller, eighth grade, and the Hot Box Girls perform “Bushel and a Peck.” Photo by Sean Kim
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“Guys and Dolls is about gambling in New York City,” Miller said. It is about Nathan Detroit and Sky Masterson, who gamble in an event called a crap game, but Nathan’s fiancé Adelaide and Sky’s girlfriend Sarah Brown dislike the game and the men’s focus on the game instead of on their relationships.
“I was very excited to find out that I was directing the musical because I’ve been in many musicals, and I know that they are tons of fun,” choir teacher and director Miss Miranda Macgregor said.
“I chose to audition because I thought it would be a great experience and a good way to meet new people,” Miller said.
Emily Southworth, eighth grade, also auditioned for “Guys and Dolls, Jr.” and landed a spot as a Hot Box Girl. “I like to sing and dance and act, so I thought, why not audition? It’s also a great way to hang out with friends after school,” Southworth said.
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Lauren Alexander and Mick Clark, both eighth grade, perform “I’ve Never Been in Love Before.” Photo by Sean Kim
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Shortly after they were cast, Miller and Southworth began attending rehearsals.
“The most difficult thing about directing ‘Guys and Dolls’ has been scheduling all of the rehearsals that we need. Since the show was moved to the spring, many people who were easily able to be involved in the fall now had conflicts,” Macgregor said. “Also, there were so many snow days that the start date for rehearsals had to be pushed back, and one rehearsal even had to be cancelled.”
Even though Miller and Southworth agreed that being involved in Guys and Dolls, Jr. was fun, Southworth said it was not without difficulty. “Sometimes rehearsals got a bit long, and learning the music was hard,” Southworth said.
Macgregor also said that there are difficulties to putting together a stage production. “When producing a musical, there are many pieces that must be brought together, such as acting, singing, lights, sound, set, props, and costumes. With every rehearsal, we add in a few more of the elements, which brings us closer and closer to a fantastic final product,” Macgregor said.
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Lauren Alexander, Mick Clark, Sophie Miller, and Shawn Horrocks take their bows. Photo by Sean Kim
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Despite these hardships, Macgregor said, the cast pulled through to make a great show.
“I definitely feel that the cast has improved. For many of the students, this is the first stage show they have been in. So, at first, many of the students didn’t know the first thing about how to move on stage, deliver lines, or bring a character to life. Now, everyone is really getting the hang of acting and you can look at the stage and see all of the fun characters they are portraying and the story they are telling,” she said.
Southworth has also noticed the cast improving. “Everything improved a lot,” she said, “We started out as just a group of students that wanted to perform, and now we are ready to put on a great show.”
Miller also said the cast has improved, but they have also bonded. “We’ve bonded through getting together and performing together,” she said.
The understudy performances of "Guys and Dolls, Jr." was last night, while the primary cast performs tonight and Saturday.
“The best part about directing Guys and Dolls has been seeing how much the students enjoy being involved in the show. I always love being involved in a musical, so it’s awesome to work with students who share that passion,” Macgregor said.
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Jakob Salisbury and Ali Crawford enjoy dinner in the Havana scene. Photo by Sean Kim
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Shawn Horrocks and Mick Clark perform their first scene. Photo by Sean Kim
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Tanner Horrocks and ensemble perform “Sit Down, You’re Rocking the Boat." Photo by Sean Kim
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