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Backstage with Brittany: Rehearsals

BY BRITTANY MYERS, Senior

BLYTHEWOOD -- Rehearsals are underway for Blythewood’s production of Little Shop of Horrors. Ms. Claiborne, the school’s chorus teacher, is a strict leader, striving for the cast of the musical to do their very best and nothing less. Eager and talented students fill up the big classroom waiting for the music to start.

It is a cold, dark, and rainy evening at Blythewood but the ensemble warms up the atmosphere with their unified voices.

“The goal is to have a unified sound across the ensemble”, Claiborne says while sitting by her piano. Throughout the 30-minute rehearsal session, she’s constantly making corrections for the students to follow. She also reprimands the students when they are not properly prepared, which is something she also checks for during the rehearsals. Claiborne teaches in and out of the classroom, making individual recordings for students to follow for their roles.

The students are professional and enthusiastic. They’re taking the musical seriously, showing up to rehearsal with their music books and standing in a circle around the piano, hardly ever missing a note.

Senior Chandler Bree, who will be playing the lead role of Seymour in the musical is a powerful singer who shined during this session as a soloist. He is a member of ACA Bengals and the concert choir.

“I really enjoy singing.” Bree says, “Singing is something that allows you to dig deep into you’re emotions, it’s powerful.”

Junior Marvin Boyd, who is also a soloist in the musical and is in ACA Bengals, expressed his happiness over being chosen to participate in the musical.

“It’s a blessing, this is my second show here at the school.” Boyd says smiling over his appreciation. He, like Bree, also enjoys singing very much. He detailed his interest in Little Shop by recounting his surprising amusement in musicals. To him, musicals were something that he didn’t think he’d enjoy but he did very much.

Kristin Hardy, also a Junior who plays a doo-wop girl, talked about her experience so far working with her other castmates.

“We’re all really passionate about what we’re doing.” she says. “It creates a really good environment where everyone wants to create a good product.”

Hardy also spoke on what it is like working with Claiborne.

“She is like a mentor. She holds the actors and actresses accountable for their roles and then fine-tunes us.”

Little Shop of Horrors will hit the auditorium in March.

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