Musicals have lifted the spirits of people since the time of Ancient Greece, where they would dance, sing, and tell stories about different heroes and Gods. In the Roaring 20s, musical theater became very popular, and still is to this day. Here at Kearns High, we have our amazing theater actors, directors, music directors, and stage crew members who are here to bring you the story of Tuck Everlasting.
The Cougar Claw had the honor of to interviewing Kearns High’s Choir and Musical Theater teacher Julie Duncan, who will be performing the music for Tuck Everlasting. She has a lot of experience in the musical department. She was in the musical industry for twenty-five years, having roles from ensemble to leads, and even a music director. She describes Tuck Everlasting as, “A story about a family who found water that gives them eternal life, and the consequences of it. There’s a girl who stumbles upon it, and has to figure out whether she wants to drink it or not. The ‘Man In The Yellow Suit’ is trying to find the water for himself, so he can sell it.”
Being an actor is not a walk in the park. Sometimes there are going to be people that you don’t agree with, and it is very time consuming as well. But it teaches you teamwork, and you can create something magical! It allows the audience to be sucked into a whole new world and forget their reality for a while, which is something we all need every once in a while.
We cannot forget the stars behind all the singing and dancing. What’s a show without the stage crew? Without them, the actors would be completely lost, running back and forth between acting, singing, dancing, mics, lights, on and off stage, and nothing would get done! The audience would get confused as to what the story is, what is real life, and wouldn’t be able to lose themselves in the world that they are working hard to create. Being part of stage crew is a huge deal, and requires a lot of skill. “You learn the big things that go into a singular production, and it requires a lot of dedication.” Lexi James (10) says.
What’s a musical without the music itself? When describing the music for Tuck Everlasting, Duncan says, “The music for the show is really fun and uplifting. We’ve got some really talented singers in the show, and it’s fun to work with them!” Kearns High has talent for sure! Being in a musical definitely shows that you’ve got ‘triple threat’ attitude! Being able to act, dance, and sing at the same time is surely a skill that takes practice. When asked if it’s inspiring to see young actors at work, Duncan replied, “Absolutely! I love to see how excited the students get when they make something beautiful and worth sharing with other people. The self confidence that they gain is awesome too.”
Though Tuck Everlasting isn’t from Ancient Greece, it is still a fun musical and we encourage you to go watch it! There is so much work that has gone into this adaptation of the 2013 musical, and the talent of Kearns students is truly shown here. If you want more information on this musical, ask Mr. Kimbell ([email protected]), Ms. Duncan ([email protected]), Mr. Rodgers ([email protected]), or any of the amazing students that are working so hard to bring Tuck Everlasting to the stage of Kearns High School. This musical will be performed May 2nd-3rd at 7pm and May 4th at 12pm.