The auditorium was silent, everyone’s faces blank, nerves filled the room as Shannon Robinson, the Morgan Musical Director, entered the auditorium to begin auditions, it was finally time.
This year the musical was The Little Mermaid which a lot of people were interested in auditioning for.
“During auditions, one thing I’m always thinking about is the best thing you can do is try your best, and whatever outcome you get, does not define you or your abilities; the important part is what comes next,” said Alexa Kinniburgh, a senior at The Morgan School, who has a lead role as Ursula.
For Colton Landino, a junior, this was his first time doing the musical. Colton decided to audition for Chef Louie. Colton said, “I got the call back for Chef Louie, and I needed to memorize his lines. His lines were partly in French, so I also needed to create an accent in a day.”
The first round starts by people singing in a small group with a dance. Then on the same day they can audition for lead roles and sing alone. Depending how people do, people may get called back for a specific role where they would sing a specific song from that character. There was a panel of 4 people judging to determine the official cast. Lastly, the official cast was released and rehearsals began.
“We look for people who have a commitment to the program…people that can put in the time to develop the character and have the talent to perform,” said Mrs. Robinson. At The Morgan School, the musical isn’t just a musical; it’s more than that.
The ensemble practices Monday through Thursday every week until two weeks prior to opening night, and then they begin practicing Monday through Sunday until the show. It is a commitment members need to be willing to make, even if it means practicing at home or working with Mrs. Robinson to work around sports.
The musical isn’t easy for anyone, especially not the directors. “We start planning the musical the April of the year before,” Robinson added. One musical wraps up, and the next cycle is begun, planning, researching, and figuring out which musical is going to draw the most attention from the crowd and ensemble members. “The audience is just as important as the crew because nobody wants to perform to an empty theater,” shared Mrs. Robinson. Directors also need to communicate with parents and other teachers in order to get props, costumes, and all the behind-the-scenes situated.
This year, Chad Neri, the engineering teacher at Morgan, has 3D printed Ursula’s skull pen. Students in the Graphic Design class have created posters for advertising, and many other teachers and students have helped. “We like to get the community involved,” added Mrs. Robinson.
However, it’s not just the directors it’s difficult for, “There were definitely times where there was unnecessary added stress, but what got me through it was knowing that in the end, it was my last musical with all of these incredible people, and I just needed to focus on how grateful I am for having such an amazing experience with them,” Kinniburgh acknowledged.
This year, with the musical being under the sea, there was a lot more added stress with characters needing to learn how to use Heelys and fly in order to add the effect that they are swimming. Heelys are shoes with a wheel underneath so you can roll around like rollerblades and also walk if you wanted to.
“I was practicing with my friends in the lower hub, and I fell. I thought heelys were similar to ice skating, where you could put two feet down next to each other until I learned that you have to put one foot in front of the other one,” said Peyton Vece, a sophomore in the musical who played Flounder.
Peyton took the time to practice at home or during breaks in rehearsal to make sure she would be able to use the heelys for the opening show. Her dedication to the musical and continuous practice allowed her to overcome the issue.
“I was initially nervous to fly, but once I actually got up in the air during our fly rehearsal, it was awesome and honestly super fun, and the crew of adults definitely made me feel very safe being in the air,” Kinniburgh said.
Landino felt the same way, saying, “ I can’t wait, it’s so fun already. It was a little challenging in the beginning, but I definitely evolved past just being scared because I know my crew and the people who are holding me up very good, and I trust them.”
“The people behind the stage are just as important as the people on the stage, you can’t run a show if you don’t have all the moving parts behind it,” noted Mrs. Robinson.
Mrs. Metz works with the stage crew prior to the show to make sure everything is situated and ready for opening night. There is a technical crew that works on making sure the sound is working, and every character can be heard. They also run the lighting of the show, which needs to be perfect in order for the show to appear at its best. There are also the volunteer parents who took time to learn how to use the flying equipment to allow for it to be done safely and correctly on performance day.
However, not everything about the musical is stressful. While there is a lot of pressure to get your part right, the culture and fun that the ensemble has are moments they will never forget.
Landino mentioned that it was his first time and joined because he heard about how much of a great time it was. Landino also added, “I like just having fun with everybody, during the scenes, but also after the scenes, when you know you messed up, and it was funny”.
Kinniburgh also said, “ The best thing about the musical is most definitely the cast. I’ve been lucky to have been with such an amazing group of people every year, and they really just make the experience the best and I’m so grateful. I’ve been performing for 15 years, but I have specifically been with the same group of seniors performing since the Pierson School”.
The Morgan Musical is nothing to be slept on. It takes a lot of hard work in order to put on the best show possible for the audience. Show dates are Friday March 20 at 7:00 pm, Saturday, March 21 at 1:00 pm and 7:00 pm, and Sunday, March 22 at 1:00pm. It’s more than just a show.
