The first theater performance in years is happening within a month, and participants are ecstatic.
While the fine arts center was under construction with the rest of the junior high, the theater club has been unable to perform. Construction has officially ended with the school, but issues still arise within the new theater space, and the renovations in certain areas are still not completed. For the past year and a half, continuous setbacks have rendered the theater unable to put on a big first show back, meaning the musicals will have to wait until next year.
Instead of a regular show though, the theater is teaming up with all of Mrs. Miller’s choirs to create a new event called ‘From Memory to Imagination’ which will take the place of the choir’s usual Festival of the Arts performance. As the choirs perform one song from 6 different musicals that the Wyoming Theater Company has done in the past, theater members will be acting out each song as they go. Each song also has a soloist from the choir who will play the ‘main character’ of the song. Songs, in their respective order, include:
“Be Our Guest” from Beauty and the Beast
“Over the Rainbow” from The Wizard of Oz
“Middle of a Moment” from James and the Giant Peach
“Pure Imagination” from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
“Memory” from Cats
“Puttin’ on the Ritz” from Young Frankenstein
Some theater members who joined after the start of construction have already been in theater for a couple years, but have yet to put on a show, making this their first performance. The junior and senior members are even more excited to have the chance to perform for the first time since their eighth or ninth grade year.
“I’m just really happy that I’ll be able to be on the stage again,” said theater veteran Mya Palma. “It’s also fun to be able to perform ‘Puttin’ on the Ritz’ again since Young Frankenstein was the first show I was ever in back in seventh grade.”
Choir members also are thrilled to be able to perform fun musical pieces that we all know and love. “It’s not often that I like all of the songs we sing, but I love these new pieces,” says junior and soprano 2 member Lyric McPhee. “I’m excited to see the theater perform as well.”
While the huge productions will have to wait for next year, ‘From Memory to Imagination’ is going to be an amazing experience. Come see the choir and the theater perform at the Wyoming Junior High’s Fine Arts Center at 7 PM on March 24! See you there!
