Jon McClees, Conrad Birdie
Q: You’re the lead in the musical, right?
A: One of the leads.
Q: So what’s that like? Playing a lead?
A: I’ve played it before. Not the character, but I’ve played a lead before. My sophomore year I played the lead in Pippin, and it’s definitely interesting, but it’s a lot of hard work.
Q: How much work have you put in, time-wise?
A: Every day after school from 3:15 to 5:30, and then this Sunday we worked from 12 to 5:30.
Q: That’s a lot. Do you feel like you’re ready?
A: Yeah. I’m just [fiddling with a safety pin on his sparkly gold costume] having some trouble with my pants right now.
Q: Tell me about this outfit. It’s very bright.
A: Yes. My character is supposed to be a parody on Elvis Presley, and Elvis wore a—not quite a similar one—but he wore a gold suit, so they’re kind of just pointing it out and making it really satirical toward Elvis.
Q: Very cool. Do you relate at all to your character, or not at all?
A: I can see where he’s coming from with the, uh, trying to have fun and stuff. But he tends to go after girls all the time, and I’m not necessarily that kind of person.
Q: So what do you like most about being in the musical?
A: It’s really fun, the people are nice, and I like hanging out with them a lot.
Q: Do you have a favorite song?
A: A Lot of Living to Do. It’s really jazzy and cool.
Q: It sounds cool. Why do you think people should come see the musical?
A: Because it’s really cool! We’ve put a lot of hard work into it, and I think it’s worth the money, and you should definitely support the school.
Senior Sarah Atkinson, Mae Peterson
Q: What part do you play?
A: I play Mae Peterson. I am Albert’s mother.
Q: What’s she like?
A: She’s pretty crazy. She’s kind of racist—not a super big fan of foreign people. Really hates Rose because she is Spanish. I really love my son, though; he is the sunshine of my existence. And my husband died in a beer truck accident, so I’m probably just drunk all the time, which is probably why I’m racist.
Q: Do you relate to her at all?
A (laughing): Not really—‘cause I’m not a mom, I like to think I’m not racist, and I don’t really have anything against Spanish people. They’re cool.
Q: Is it difficult for you to play this part?
A: Not really. I mean, usually I kinda get the crazy parts like this. I think it’s funny how in the last play I played Cachola, and now I hate Spanish people. Kind of ironic.
Q: The last production wasn’t a musical, but do you sing in this one?
A: I do not. The only song I sing is in one last kiss, but nothing solo, just with the chorus. You know, I just get lots of lines in the songs.
Q: Do you have a favorite song?
A: I really love the guys’ song in The Telephone Hour—specifically David Glauner, because it’s frickin’ adorable. [She performs a quick impression of Glauner.]
Q: What’s your favorite line from your part?
A: My favorite line is—well, this is part of one of the sentences—but it’s, “And my son is running around in saloons, looking for a Mexicali Rose who came for the fruit-picking season and stayed to ruin an American woman’s life.”
Q: Excellent. Thank you very much. So why, other than that line, should people come to see this production?
A: Because, as Jon said, we put a lot of work into it, you know, so it would be a shame for no one to see it. And it’s hilarious. It’s cute, it’s good for the whole family—and you’ll see me.
Junior Raul Cody, Chorus and Shriner
Q: What part do you play?
A: I’m in the Chorus. I get to call myself Flippy Trick Guy because I’m the guy who does all the flippy tricks.
Q: How often do you appear to do these flippy tricks?
A: I’m in both acts. In the chorus, you’re in every scene. I’m a teenager, and then there’s a special part where I’m a Shriner, too, which is a really old man with the best hats and all of that, the secret clubs. I don’t know if you know what a Shriner is, but basically I get to rape somebody, so it’s okay.
[pause]
Q: Okay. All right. So, if you could be any other character, which would you pick?
A: I’d have to pick—I’d probably be Kim, because I’d get to be emotional all the time. And I get to wear a dress. Who doesn’t want to wear a dress?
Q: I have no idea. Costumes aside, what do you like most about the musical?
A: It’s a fun, upbeat musical. There’s not really a down part to it. Sure, I guess you could say there’s “problems” [quotation marks included], but it’s really all the way around upbeat music; fun, dance stuff. There’s a lot of opportunities to just have fun. It’s different—different for me. It’s my first musical that was placed in the ‘50s.
Q: Your first musical in the ‘50s or your first musical?
A: In the ‘50s. The first play I ever did was a musical.
Q: Which one was that?
A: Hair, for Summer Youth Theater—two summers ago? Yeah.
Q: Have you done any others?
A: As far as musicals? No, this is my second one. But as far as plays, I’ve been in Black Boxes, and I was in Main Stage last year. I’m all over the place. It just kind of depends where I pop up.
Q: How do you like singing and dancing at the same time?
A: It’s very hard.
Q: That’s what I’ve heard.
A: It is very hard, but it’s a challenge, and I like challenges.
Q: What’s your favorite song?
A: My favorite song is “You Gotta Be Sincere” because, basically, everyone kind of just faints at the sight of Conrad Birdie and his amazing voice. Everyone just falls out flat onstage, and he’s gyrating his hips. It’s pretty sexy. Have you ever seen Jon McClees gyrate his hips?
Q (laughing): No, but I’m coming to the play.
A: Oh, you’re in for a treat.
Q: On that note, why should people come see the show?
A: Because Jon McClees is amazing–and so are Jevan and Kara Resseguie, and they’re all beautiful people, and I do flippy tricks. And Jon McClees is gyrating his hips. Why wouldn’t you want to come see that?
Seniors Mariam Ali and Akira Cowden, Adult Chorus
Q: What parts do you play?
Mariam Ali: I’m just an adult in the choir.
Akira Cowden: We’re both just adults.
Q: What do you do as adults? How many songs are you in?
M: We’re in about six songs.
A: Yeah, like five or six.
M: And it’s just singing and dancing, and we respond to what other characters are doing.
A: And it’s not too difficult.
Q: Have you been in a musical before?
A: No, never.
M: This is my first one.
Q: So, singing and dancing at the same time: is that new for you?
M: Kind of.
A: We were in encore.
M: But not that intense—it’s different. Because with this you always have to be doing the right move at the right time, and match with the other people, but normally when we sing and dance it’s kind of an individual sort of thing.
Q: If you could be any other character in the production, which would you choose?
A: You can go first, Mariam.
M: Who does Kara play?
A: Kara’s Rose.
M: I’d be Rose.
A: I like Ursula. She’s funny.
Q: What’s your favorite line of theirs?
[pause]
Q: Or favorite song?
A: I like the last song—the one that Jevan and Kara sing together.
M: I really like the telephone song.
A: Yeah, that one’s fun.
Q: And how ready are you to perform them?
M: I feel like I could do it now. We’ve practiced so many times.
A: We’ve practiced a lot.
Q: Why would you say that people should come see this musical?
A: It’s funny, and it’s just fun.
M: And it also has a lot of really good music.
A: It does.
Junior Andrew Pester, Teen Chorus and Shriner
Q: First things first: what part do you play?
A: I am in the Teen Chorus, and I am also a Shriner.
Q: Okay, what does that mean?
A: You’ll just have to find out.
Q: Sounds good. Do you have a favorite song from the performance?
A: We’ll go with Telephone Hour. That’s the one that’s in my head most of the time.
Q: If you could be any other character, what would you pick?
A: That’s a hard one. Let me see … Mr. MacAfee. He’s a good character. I like him.
Q: Do you like playing your part?
A: Yes, I do. It’s fun. A lot of dancing, a lot of singing–that’s why they call it a musical!
Q: Have you ever been in a musical before?
A: No, this is my first one.
Q: So what do you think of it?
A: I really like it, and I think it’s been fun. It’s been time-consuming, but it’s fun.
Q: How long have you been practicing?
A: Probably almost two months.
Q: And how ready are you for the performance?
A: So ready. Especially after these next three practices, we’ll definitely be ready. And it will just keep getting better as we perform.
Q: Why should people come see it?
A: Because it’s really funny. It’s a little crude, but that makes it more funny, I guess, depending on your taste. And there’s a lot of good singing. We really prize our vocals in this.