July 18, 2007
Hello, hello! Kathryn Leigh Clubb (Martha ‘hip-hop hooray’)
is here once again with “the Skinny on the hooey”
(thank you Jack Scott) of High School Musical!
Briefly, I’ll tell you about the pre-production week we
had at Looby Theatre. First, we had load in and a technical run
on Sunday, July 8th. Then, Monday through Wednesday, we had all
dress rehearsals with full costume, hair and makeup. People who
could were also asked to stay after to help paint sets or work
on props. (SIDE NOTE: Let me just say that we were all in awe
of the set… or at least I was… it looked [looks] awesome.
Now, of course, it looks 100 times better because of all of the
finishing touches like show posters in the drama room and a periodic
table of the elements in the chem. Lab. Thank you Mr. Jim and
Mr. Michael [and anyone else who helped] for an amazing set that
truly makes the show! I think I speak for the whole cast when
I say that I fully appreciate all the hard work you guys put into
it! :END SIDE NOTE)
Next came Thursday; the invited dress rehearsal… Let just
say that Bob (Troy) and the rest of the guys, but especially Bob,
will never live down the catcalls and gleeful shrieks from the
tweeners sitting front and center. “Look, it’s TROY
BOLTON!!” * swoon *
Finally, Friday was here! Can you say “It’s opening
night…”? We were all extremely pumped after Magic
Circle (a cast and crew bonding/note giving/’woohoo the
show is about to start so lets draw power from each other’
time) and Bob’s ‘what team!?’ing. I felt the
show went very nicely. That is until, in one of the final scenes,
Our beloved Susan (Sharpay) got pulled of stage (as is scripted)
into a flat that was never in the same place twice, fell on the
chemistry table, and then off onto the floor… in the process,
deeply bruising her ankle. But being the amazing performer that
she is, she finished the show (and even did the meet and greet)
before being examined by our resident, amazing, always-working-because-we-are-so-clumsy-and-or-always-sick
nurse (AKA Ailie’s mom), and then getting carted off to
Baptist hospital… the same hospital Tosha (Taylor) was taken
to. Susan now has a boot (with rhinestones) and crutches, but
gives us an amazing lesson in improv. every night by using her
crutches brilliantly… not as Susan, but as Sharpay.
After the show Friday, we had our first official cast party! Even
though I wasn’t able to attend, it was reported to me that
the party involved the movie Center Stage and the entire cast
belting out Wicked to the accompaniment of Taylor’s (Ryan)
iPod.
I’m happy to say that Saturday’s and Sunday’s
performances went without further injury (swelling and lots of
pain meds, yes, but no more people taking the ‘break a leg’
phrase to heart). After Sunday’s performance we had another
cast party that included dancers (who should stick to dance) playing
never ending games of pool, a dance party, The Dreamgirl and Guys,
and a whole lot of pizza.
Let me just say, before I quit writing tonight, that there is
no feeling quite as rewarding as looking out into the audience
while performing the big dance numbers and seeing lots of little
kids bouncing up and down in their seats, clapping their hands
excitedly and dancing, awestruck, with the cast. I just wanted
to thank Ms. Sara and the other directors for letting us be a
part of something as big, special, and yes ‘Magically Disney’
as this production of High School Musical. We love you!!!
“What team!? – WILDCATS!
What team!? – WILDCATS!
What team!? – WILDCATS!
Wildcats! – Get your head in the game!”
