New Albany Theatre back on stage
Students casted for fall show Bright Star Concert Version
October 9, 2020
Theatre has not been the same for New Albany Thespians since March because of Covid-19. In March their smaller play Anatomy of Grey was cancelled shortly after rehearsals first began. Next, the Thespian Festival, where they were scheduled to perform My Fair Lady, was cancelled. Then the 2020 fall musical Music Man was also cancelled.
“I was very devastated when I first heard we weren’t doing a show, it was hit to the gut, but with all things dealing with the Coronavirus we all have to adapt,” senior Brayden Marcum said.
To keep Marcum and other theatre students involved, Theatre Director Amy Miller hosted after school workshops in August and September. These workshops included things like dancing, singing, directing, voice over, lighting, sound, onscreen acting, script writing, and more. They even offered students a chance to work with alumni and other successful theatre personnel.
While the workshops kept kids busy, they still wanted to do a show. On September 25 Mrs. Miller announced the Theatre Arts Department will be doing a fall musical after all.
“I was so happy when they announced we were doing a show especially since it is a show I know and love,” Marcum said.
“I just can’t wait to get working on a show, especially the Bright Star Concert Version,” Mrs. Miller said. “It’s a beautiful bluegrass show and really different from anything else we’ve done before.”
The audition process was very different than it has been in previous years. Students all met in the auditorium instead of Mrs. Miller’s classroom like they typically would. Students went up on stage in groups and sang a small cut of music from the show. After everyone sang students waited in the auditorium while Mrs. Miller and Mr. Dersch discussed.
Students were brought back into the auditorium and lined up on the stage, names of people who were asked to stay and either sing or read again were called and everyone else went home. After everyone went home and the adults had time to discuss, the cast list was posted that night.
The concert version allows for masks, social distancing, and everyone to be on stage. The show is mostly singing and runs about an hour and a half.
The musical will be premiering on the New Albany High School stage November 20 at 7:30, 21 at 2:00 and 7:30, and 22 at 2:00.