Wednesday, Mar. 11, 2009

'Cats' is teeming with talent

Your Schools

PAGE 6

If you've already bought tickets to see Carolina Forest High School's production of "Cats," then prepare to be dazzled. If you haven't but are planning to go, don't waste time: Tickets are selling briskly and might soon be gone.

Scores of students, teachers, parent volunteers and community members have been working to make this year's production one to be remembered. Wayne Canady, director of the production and a drama teacher and curriculum specialist at the school, said the process has been a labor of love and much like a jigsaw puzzle.

"I never set out to do this in one big piece," Canady said. "It takes a lot of small pieces to make the big picture."

Calling this "the most expensive production I've ever done," Canady said he has been very appreciative of all the support within the school and the community for this event.

Canady said they initially considered doing "Tarzan" or "Mary Poppins" this year but found those were not yet available for release.

"We discovered "Cats" had a one-year release in talking with some of the royalty houses," Canady said. "With the one year window of time, we decided we should seize the opportunity. 'Cats' found us rather than us finding 'Cats.'"

Once the decision was made, Canady and Kraig McBroom, the school's show choir director, pursued the project wholeheartedly. They found an opera company in California, Fullerton Civic Light Opera House, that was willing to rent them the sets and costumes for the production.

In other productions, the school has recycled sets and costumes from previous shows, but Canady knew that wouldn't fly with "Cats."

"This is such a different show, and everything needed to be 10 times larger than life."

Canady knew the best thing would be to find a set that would fit on the school's stage to maintain the integrity of the show.

"I was very blessed to find basically everything we needed in one house."

The small number of costumes not available for rent are being worked on by various parents of students involved in the production. Canady said he is grateful for all the work the parents put in, not only in costuming but in the box office, publicity and other areas.

He's also thankful for the assistance of choreographer Bryan Beaman of Christina's Center Stage, who has been working with students on choreography.

"His work is exemplary," Canady said. "People will certainly see that when they come to see the show."

Students cast in the production have been rehearsing seven days a week since Jan. 21, with a schedule broken down each day for specific characters and numbers. Canady said the elaborate schedule "gives them everything except when to sleep and when to eat."

Additional students are working behind the scenes with the technical aspects and with the music that will be provided by a live orchestra.

Despite the hectic schedule, Canady said the experience is a great one for those involved. Many of the students remain on-site even after they've been released from rehearsal for that day.

"There's a sense of family," he said.

Kraig McBroom is in charge of the production's musical direction. McBroom said it has been wonderful working with the students and seeing them evolve into the characters they portray.

"They just love it to death. They go down the hall singing this stuff."

McBroom admitted the music in "Cats" is very difficult.

"It's a very challenging vocal piece. The vocal parts lie very high in the range for teenagers, so we've had to work with it a bit."

Although most of the students involved in the production are in show choir, it was not a prerequisite for participating. McBroom said many students turned out for auditions and those selected are coping well with the challenges of balancing rehearsals and academics.

"They're really doing pretty well. I think they'll really learn an important life lesson here about managing their time. I see it as such a great growth tool."

Rehearsals are preparing the cast and crew for a grueling 13 performance schedule, which includes six day shows, to be performed for students from other schools; four evening shows and two matinee shows, which are open to the public; and one show specifically for sponsors. The group will also be promoting "Cats" at the Family Artz Spring Fest at Market Common this Saturday.

McBroom thinks those attending will likely be surprised at the caliber of the production.

"It is something they will not believe that high school students can do. The audience will be amazed."

With so many stories of gloom and doom in the daily news, Canady encourages people to get tickets, and "go and forget about everything else in the world. That's what theater is all about."

When | 7:30 p.m. March 26-29 and 3 p.m. March 28 and 29

Where | Carolina Forest High School, 700 Gardner Lacy Road, Myrtle Beach

Cost | $10 in advance, $12 at the door. Visa and MasterCard accepted.

Call | 236-7997, ext. 63808