Spring theater productions are in full swing, and after months of rehearsals, county students are ready to put on their best musical performances for families and friends to see starting this week.
LELAND
Leland Public School students are the first to take to the stage starting Thursday, April 18 to perform Roald Dahl’s “Matilda: The Musical.” A total of 47 kids in grades 3-12 are part of the entire production, from actors to those part of the lighting, set, and stage crew.
Mary Newman, Leland theater and music director, said the kids have been practicing on a weekly basis after school since February 15. The first two weeks, everyone was learning music, then they moved on to figuring out where everyone would be standing and moving while on the stage. Finally, music is added to the rehearsals, and students work through scenes in character.
“The past couple of weeks, we’ve been doing act one twice, and then we’ll do act two the next day twice. Now it’s a lot of clean-up and perfecting,” Newman said, who is directing her second theater production at Leland. “I’m most excited, number one, for them (families) to see what these kids can do, because they are pretty amazing, but then also the hard work of the tech crew. The scene changes in this show are insane.”
Newman said she went with a more “abstract” set design this season, noting how much of the pieces on stage are black, except for certain settings like the playground and library scenes where color is depicted to visualize Matilda in her happy place. In addition, one of the student’s created projections to be used in the production, adding to the already creative set design that is Matilda.
“As frustrating as rehearsing with littles can be, it is such a pass when you’re watching them and they get it right, it’s that moment of just chills, and you’re like ‘we got this,’” she said.
Performing arts gives students not only connections to other students, but connections to the past, Newman added. And kids take home problem solving skills and learn far beyond just how to memorize a script when in a school production.
“To me, theater is time travel, or as close as you are going to get,” she said. “You get to be someone else for a little bit, you get to enter this totally new world and it gives them confi-dence, creativity, and it makes them think on their feet… Some of the problems that the tech crew and I have had to deal with are problem solving — there’s so much life and knowledge that comes out of it.”
The district already has productions set for the next school year, too, including Kate Hamill’s “Little Women” in the fall and Andrew Lloyd Weber’s “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” in 2025.
Matilda show dates are April 18 and 19 at 7:30 p.m., and on the 21st at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. The following weekend, there will be shows on the 25, 26, and 27 at 7:30 p.m., and finally, on the 28th at 2 p.m. Tickets are $12 for adults and $10 for students and can be bought online or at the door.
GLEN LAKE
Glen Lake Community School will present “The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical!” on May 1-4 at 7 p.m. in the school auditeria with tickets available at the door. A total of 17 students in grades 6-12 are in the production, however, the district also collaborates with professionals to help with the overall show. Maria Ulrich from Leelanau Sound will help with sound production, Kathleen Lau creates the costumes, and piano support is from Dorothy Vogel of Traverse City Philharmonic.
Elementary and Middle School Performing Arts Teacher Jeremy Evans is leading the show along with K-12 Performing Arts and Choir Director Rob Stow, and Erin Marwood-Repke. The trio has been creating shows together at Interlochen Arts Camp with the High School Musical Theatre majors for many years.
“One of the best investments we can make in our production is the people that teach and support our students…” Evans said. “... Without these people in place, all of the expertise has to lie with one or two people. For one or two people to do sound, lighting, costumes, music, choreography, acting, etc. — it’s just too many hats for one head to wear, and the show (and experience) suffers for it. I feel so lucky to have this amazing group of collaborators to help teach these students.”
Seventh grader Evelyn Roeder plays the title character and is joined by junior Peyton Brown and sophomore Miles Wright playing characters Annabeth and Grover respectively. Outside of Interlochen, the high energy musical adaptation will be a first for Northern Michigan. Evans said this gives kids and the community an incredible opportunity to experience “a work by a living artist.”
“We carefully consider the kids that we are working with before choosing a show. ‘The Lightning Thief’ seems like a great choice for us! It’s good literature, it has flexible casting, and a great score with exciting music,” he said. “Our audiences are not only in for a great story with music, they will also enjoy the inventive visual spectacle that is made out of everyday objects.”
SUTTONS BAY
This spring, Suttons Bay Public School will present “The Wizard of Oz: The Musical” in the high school auditorium, with students ranging from pre-K to seniors. A total of 27 high school and middle schoolers are involved as well as 30 “munchkins.” Elizabeth Richards, Suttons Bay TK music/performing arts and media center teacher, said the Wizard of Oz musical highlights through fun characters the many talents of the students involved and stretches their acting abilities.
“For some of our main characters this is their first large role and I am proud of how each of them have taken real ownership of their character. Suttons Bay also has had a tradition of having elementary students in the shows and I wanted to bring that back this year and have them be our munchkins,” Richards said. “... It is so fun to hear parents say ‘I didn’t know my child could do that’ and I think we are going to have a lot of those moments this year. My favorite part of any production is the creativity in making something like the Wizard of Oz come to life.”
Having started practice since January, Richards said students have been busy building the set, making the props, and helping with all aspects of the process, including one student even creating the program’s poster. The musical’s pit orchestra will be made up of community members and led by the band director, Dante Billeci. The Wizard of Oz show dates are set for May 17 and 18 at 7 p.m., and May 19 at 4 p.m.
The performing arts program is also putting on a spring concert called “Go Fish” on April 24 at 6 p.m. which features TK through third graders. Another performance from Suttons Bay band students is coming up on Friday, April 26 at 7 p.m.
