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Murray Journal

Murray High Students Star in Musical Revue

Jan 28, 2016 10:30AM ● By Julie Slama

By Julie Slama | [email protected]

Murray - More than 40 students showcased 18 musicals during Murray High’s eighth annual Broadway Revue: “Dream Big.”

Through their musical theatre class, students selected the musical pieces, casted classmates, rehearsed and directed the show that was held Jan. 13-15 at the school’s Little Theatre.

“It gave students a chance to star in a role, or their friends just to star in musical theatre that students directed,” theatre teacher Will Saxton said. “They only had four or five days of class time to showcase 30 numbers for me and together, we cut it to 18.”

The show opened with “Believe” from “Finding Neverland,” occurring during the closing night of the school’s fall musical “Mary Poppins.”

“We wanted the audience to think they were talking about what musical they’d do next year while striking the ‘Mary Poppins’ set. So the dialog they wrote reflected the pretend of closing night of the cast,” he said.

Other numbers performed were from the musicals “Shrek,” “Once Upon a Mattress,” “Guys and Dolls,” “Thoroughly Modern Millie,” “Dancing in the Rain,” “Legally Blonde,” “Company,” “Cinderella,” “Chicago,” “Lion King,” “Fiddler on the Roof,” “Hello Dolly,” “Hairspray,” “American Idiot” and “Mamma Mia.” An acapella performance was from “Man of the Mancha.”

The closing number, “Seize the Day” from the musical “Newsies,” was performed before Saxton announced next fall’s musical — “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.”

“It’s impressive to see 39 kids singing and dancing together and doing everything themselves,” Saxton said.

Saxton said some of the students are sophomores, and this may have been their first musical theatre performance while others are performing their third musical revue at the school.

The idea behind the Broadway Revue stemmed from his musical theatre class still being in session after the fall musical annually wraps up. So Saxton thought this would give students an additional chance to put on a performance, creating and practicing it in class with minimal after school rehearsals.

“It’s been a cool opportunity for these students and a great way to visit Broadway in one night,” he said.

An hour improvisation comedy routine performed by students opened each night’s performance of the show.

Murray High will next put on “Our Town” by Thornton Wilder at 7 p.m., Thursday, March 3 through Saturday, March 5 and again Monday, March 7 in their Little Theatre. 

On Thursday, May 5 through Saturday, May 7, students will perform William Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night” in their Little Theatre. The show begins at 7 p.m.