When all factors are combined, the three months of hard work becomes a wonderful experience for the audience and the crew. Photo collage courtesy of senior Olivia Cusick.
For San Luis Obispo High School Students involved in the performing arts company, March means one thing: the spring musical.
For the 2022 – 2023 school year, SLOHS PAC is performing “Mamma Mia!”
As a member of the company, being in the show is a several-month-long commitment.
“It’s more work than you expect, but it’s totally worth it,” said junior XC Clements.
Two weeks before winter break, over forty students completed two dance and singing auditions. For several students, another audition was the following week, called a callback. Those students sang two selected songs. A week later, on December 22, 2022, theater director Noelle Eben posted the cast list.
The first day of rehearsals was unfortunately set for January 11, 2023, which was a severe atmospheric river, causing two days of school, and rehearsal, to be canceled.
For the next month, rehearsals were split, with ensemble rehearsals every Tuesday and Thursday, and leads being called almost everyday. Towards the end of February, all members of the cast had rehearsal almost every day. A typical rehearsal ran from 4:05 to 6:00, and as the show dates got closer, they would end around 7:00.
“Mamma Mia!” The technical crew began their work a little later, in mid-February. For members of the crew, the next month was filled with painting, construction, and very tall ladders.
The cast needs to use the stage during rehearsals, so the technical crew did what they could off-stage. Once the set needed assembling, weekend “set building” days began. Cast, crew, and family members would spend four to six hours assembling the pieces and painting. After a few weekends of work, the set was essentially completed. Touch-ups and small changes continued up until the opening day.
One week before the opening, cast members began to practice the show in the costumes they were set to wear. The dreaded “Cue-to-Cue” took place that week, in which every scene was run, but only the entrances and exits were performed so that technicians could practice set changes, which mostly consisted of tables and chairs moving on and off stage.
The week of opening night is called Tech Week. Rehearsals ran from 5:30 to 9:30. Another Cue-to-Cue happened so that the lighting designers could properly prepare the lights. Cast would wear full stage makeup, prepare their hair, and dress exactly as they had planned to during the show. Photographer Erin Clausen attended two of these dress rehearsals and took hundreds of photos.
March 10, 2023, was set to be the opening night, but due to weather conditions, school and extracurricular activities had to be canceled.
Opening night was canceled, but March 11, 2023 opened to an almost full house as a matinee, and a sold-out show.
“I think everyone should [get involved with the company], at least once. It’s a super cool opportunity and you should try it, because what do you have to lose?” said senior Lucy Moseley.
With only a few shows left, tickets are going fast. Tickets can be purchased online, at slohs.drama.ludus.com.
Support the months of hard work these performers, technicians, and everyone involved has put in and come see “Mamma Mia!”
Sources: slohsdrama.ludus.com
