Latest / Inside the OSD / S1 E24 - Beauty and the Beast Ft. Oregon Straw Hat Players
Transcript
- 0:00SPEAKER1: Oregon is known for having amazing musical offerings and has received national recognition as a Best Community for Music Education for five years
- 0:10in a row. One component of this is the musical opportunities available in our community, including the Oregon Straw Hat Players.
- 0:20Today we're going to learn about their upcoming production of Beauty and the Beast from the director, stage manager, and a cast member who all just happened
- 0:29to be OSD alumni.
- 0:34[Beauty and the Beast]
- 0:40SPEAKER2: Welcome to this episode of Inside the OSD podcast.
- 0:44SPEAKER3: They talk a lot about it.
- 0:45They're asking frequently to get outside to see the goats.
- 0:48SPEAKER1: It's a build it, they will come situation.
- 0:51SPEAKER2: Where it's all about the kids.
- 0:53Well, it's always fun to have a little groundhog lay into the forecast.
- 0:57Here is your host.
- 0:58Lifelong educator and our superintendent, Dr.
- 1:01Leslie Bergstrom.
- 1:04SPEAKER1: Thank you for joining us today.
- 1:06We know that you've been very busy with rehearsals and preparation for opening night, which is this Saturday, August 5th, and we're excited to hear about it.
- 1:15Could you please start by telling us a little bit about yourself and your role in Straw Hat Players and with this production?
- 1:21SPEAKER4: Sure. I'm Duane Draper and I'm actually an Oregon High School graduate way back in 1983.
- 1:28Nice. A long time ago, I went to Oregon schools and I'm a teacher in the Barneveld School District.
- 1:33I've been there for 35 years.
- 1:35Oh, I
- 1:35SPEAKER1: didn't know that.
- 1:36Wonderful. The best profession ever.
- 1:38SPEAKER4: Yeah. I'm a high school social studies teacher and a drama director and a forensics coach there.
- 1:42Wow. But with straw hat, I do lots of different things.
- 1:45I've been on the board. I've been a director.
- 1:47I've been a designer.
- 1:48I've been a music director.
- 1:50I've been a producer and a piano player.
- 1:52And that's what I'm doing this summer.
- 1:53I'm producing and piano playing this summer, so I'm really excited for our production and people are doing a great job and we're really excited about it.
- 2:01SPEAKER1: So how did you decide to select Beauty and the Beast for this summer's musical?
- 2:05SPEAKER4: Well, we wanted something that was family friendly and that would encourage lots of people to get involved.
- 2:11We were thrilled with the audition turnout.
- 2:13We've never seen so many people.
- 2:15Really?
- 2:15SPEAKER1: Oh, that's so exciting.
- 2:17SPEAKER4: And lots of people from the community, lots of past graduates, lots of students in school now at Oregon, as well as people from around the county.
- 2:25So we're very excited about it.
- 2:27We also like the message of the story, which we think is -- it's a story everybody knows, but we think we can bring a new light to it.
- 2:33SPEAKER1: Very familiar. And I'm not at all surprised you had a ton of people.
- 2:37I mean, don't you think most of us can sing by by memory, at least one song?
- 2:42SPEAKER4: And and every girl wants to be Belle.
- 2:46And, you know, and we all know, you know, we love Mrs.
- 2:49Potts and all those great characters that we've all met with the Disney.
- 2:52SPEAKER1: version. Absolutely.
- 2:54Be our guest.
- 2:55That's my favorite one.
- 2:57Or maybe the one about Gaston.
- 2:58I love that one, too.
- 3:00We have Gaston
- 3:01SPEAKER4: here and we've got -- Perfect!
- 3:03-- And we also -- and we love Beauty and The Beast's melody, right?
- 3:07That we all know. "Tale as Old as Time." And of course, "Be our Guest" is a great number.
- 3:12SPEAKER1: Yeah, I can't wait for that one.
- 3:13So we know that producing a musical is an incredible undertaking.
- 3:17What is involved in putting on a production like this?
- 3:21SPEAKER4: Well, we started planning for our production way back in September.
- 3:25That's when we selected it and we started putting our staff together.
- 3:29We've got a staff probably of about 25 people.
- 3:32SPEAKER1: All volunteers.
- 3:33SPEAKER4: All
- 3:33SPEAKER1: volunteers. Amazing.
- 3:34SPEAKER4: And mostly from the Oregon area, although we also get people from surrounding communities who like to come to Oregon in the summer or had some connection
- 3:42here, maybe in the past.
- 3:43And so we worked with them and then we started our audition process in late May.
- 3:50And by that point we had the show relatively sort of designed and concept, and then we've been working really hard since then with rehearsals and putting the
- 3:58sets together and getting the lights done and the props and the costumes.
- 4:01And we've got people working right now
- 4:03SPEAKER1: finishing up last minute things.
- 4:05Yep. Oh, that's terrific.
- 4:07I see that many of them involved in the production, including you are an OSD alumni.
- 4:13What is special about that for this and for all the other musicals too?
- 4:17SPEAKER4: Well, historically, this group was connected with the school district from its very founding.
- 4:22It was one of the founding members of the group was the choir director at Oregon High School, Kay Shaw, who was my choir teacher.
- 4:30Oh, I didn't know that!
- 4:31SPEAKER1: Yes.
- 4:32SPEAKER4: And and so we've always had a great relationship with the school district.
- 4:37Many different people who have either worked here or we've had connections with people through the district office.
- 4:42as we do now. We've got one of our orchestra players in the pit and and we're really excited with, like, finding ways to connect with the community.
- 4:51We feel like we're a lifelong learning opportunity and also something, you know, putting a musical together is a big undertaking.
- 4:59SPEAKER1: It takes a lot of people.
- 5:00SPEAKER4: It takes a lot of people a lot of money and a lot of time.
- 5:03And so we can offer students and past graduates opportunities to continue doing it where otherwise the opportunities for that are hard because it takes so many
- 5:11people.
- 5:12SPEAKER1: You're right. When you are a musical person, but you aren't necessarily going to make your day to day living off of it, but you don't want to give it up either.
- 5:21SPEAKER4: It's everybody's heart and soul.
- 5:22Yeah. Whatever part they do, right?
- 5:24Whether it's putting together the program, which some people love to do in the back or being our lead actor on stage.
- 5:32SPEAKER1: I'm guessing that many of our listeners are familiar with the story of Beauty and the Beast.
- 5:37I know I am, like I said, one of my favorites.
- 5:40And I also know that there is a variation in each production.
- 5:44Without giving anything away, what is special or unique about this show?
- 5:49SPEAKER4: Well, I think for me, one of the things that's special or unique, especially for our listeners in the podcast, is it's people you know who are in the production,
- 5:56right? You can recognize people, whether they're people.
- 5:59Maybe you've been to Straw Hat Productions before and you've seen these people or there's people you know in the community.
- 6:04So I think that's for Oregon people, one of the things that makes it really special, yeah, the show itself, I think some of the neat things we're doing,
- 6:10we're doing some really interesting lighting things with shadowing.
- 6:13And so you'll see some really interesting ways to tell the story.
- 6:16SPEAKER1: The Beast and the Castle.
- 6:17SPEAKER4: Yeah, yeah. To do that.
- 6:19And also, I think we have some really interesting connections with the story.
- 6:22We're talking about home a lot in our theme and how everybody tries to find their home.
- 6:27And obviously there's a lot of characters in this musical who do that, and we want to make everybody feel a part of Straw Hat.
- 6:33And so we're really looking forward to people coming to see us.
- 6:37SPEAKER1: How can people learn more about Straw Hat Players and what type of opportunities are there for their students, for the students, alumni and community members if
- 6:46they want to be a part of future productions?
- 6:48SPEAKER4: One of the best ways to learn more about us is to check out our website www .OSHPOnline.org and you can find out
- 6:58a wealth of things about our group.
- 7:00And on that website you can then find specific contacts, so if you want to be involved in a production, you can email that person or you can call our phone
- 7:08number and we'll connect you with a person to do that.
- 7:11We also have open auditions for every show and we post those on the website, the local news organizations on our Facebook page.
- 7:18You can find us lots of different places.
- 7:20So we take crew calls at the same place.
- 7:22You can just stop on by and sign up and we can also connect you at the show itself.
- 7:29So if you want to get involved, talk to one of our house people and they'll be able to help you out and get you contacted with us and we'll get you on our
- 7:37mailing list.
- 7:38SPEAKER1: Oh, that's really cool.
- 7:39Finally, can you share the details of the performances and how people can get tickets?
- 7:43SPEAKER4: Sure. So we have six performances of the show.
- 7:48Our opening night is on Saturday night and we perform at 7:30 at the Oregon High School Performing Arts Center.
- 7:54Of course, we're thrilled that the school district works with us to let us use that beautiful facility.
- 7:59And then we have additional shows on Saturday night -- I'm sorry, Sunday on the 6th, and that show is at 2:00.
- 8:07And then we continue on Thursday the 10th and Friday the 11th and Saturday the 12th, all at 7:30, and also an additional show on Saturday at 2:00.
- 8:17Again, you can find all that on our website or the PAC website for the school district where you can get some tickets.
- 8:23We have a really great relationship with Mr.
- 8:25Mendl at the PAC and he works with us.
- 8:28He's actually helping us out with the sound as well for this.
- 8:31He's a great guy. And so any of those ways and you can get your tickets online or if you prefer, you can just come to the door and we'll be glad to sell you a
- 8:39ticket there.
- 8:40SPEAKER1: Now, I'm hoping you don't end up -- well.
- 8:42maybe it'd be lucky for you if you ended up sold out every single performance.
- 8:45But so people maybe could go and chances are they could get a ticket.
- 8:49SPEAKER4: Because we have six performances, it's usually likely that you can get a ticket at the door.
- 8:54Obviously, if you buy ahead, you probably get a little better seat.
- 8:57But we're glad to help you at the door and we'd love to encourage you to come when it works for you.
- 9:01SPEAKER1: Thank you. So now I'd like to spend a little time talking with some of the OSD alumni, other alumni who are involved in the production.
- 9:09Okay. So thank you to the two of you for joining us today, and congratulations on being a part of the production.
- 9:17In addition to being connected to the show, you are all OSD alumni.
- 9:22So let's start by giving you a chance to introduce yourself, when you graduated, and what you've been doing since graduation.
- 9:30SPEAKER5: I guess I'll start. So I'm Kyle Kapusta.
- 9:32I graduated in the year of 2020, and since then I've been going to Millikin University to get my Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in musical theater.
- 9:40So I've really -- I was the one that got bitten with the bug.
- 9:43SPEAKER1: You sure -- You sure have been bitten.
- 9:45And we are lucky you've been bitten.
- 9:47Because I remember watching you on the stage when you were in high school.
- 9:50And now that's your major in college, and you're coming back to do it here?
- 9:54Yeah. That's awesome.
- 9:56SPEAKER5: Goes full circle.
- 9:57SPEAKER1: It sure does. And how about you?
- 9:58My name is Jordan Hake.
- 10:00I was an OSD grad of 2019.
- 10:03SPEAKER6: My college journey has been a little bit bumpier, but I have finally found my place.
- 10:08I'm currently at Madison College working on -- Oh, I just signed up for it.
- 10:14I don't remember what it's called anymore, but it's in the realm of videography and.
- 10:19SPEAKER1: Oh yes, because you work for OCA Media.
- 10:21Yes, I do. We see you working for them all the time.
- 10:23SPEAKER6: I'm around the town.
- 10:24SPEAKER1: That's terrific.
- 10:25So now on to the musical.
- 10:27What's your role in the musical, each of you, and how is rehearsal been going?
- 10:31SPEAKER5: So I'm playing the part of Gaston, the -- the villain of the story.
- 10:36It's -- it's been such a fun time.
- 10:38It's a role that I never would have expected to get, but I've had a blast with it.
- 10:43I know being -- like specifically the numbers that he is in, it's just such a fun time because you're around, you're around so many people and it's it's it's
- 10:52all people that I've grown up with that I've been familiar with.
- 10:55And funny enough, this is the first time ever that I've gotten to share the stage with my mother.
- 11:01SPEAKER1: Really? Oh, that's great.
- 11:02SPEAKER5: And it's been such a fun time.
- 11:05Just having a blast with everyone on there, especially with numbers like Gaston and the Mob song towards the end.
- 11:11And it's just one of those parts that I personally -- it's one of those things where you as an actor, you always have to try and find a connection to the
- 11:19character. He's an interesting one to do it with, but it's one of those things where once you find it, you just get to lose yourself in it and have such a fun
- 11:27time.
- 11:28SPEAKER1: Well, his songs are so fun.
- 11:30They're so fun. So I can see that.
- 11:32How about you, Jordan?
- 11:33SPEAKER6: Well, I'm the stage manager, so my role is a little bit different in this production.
- 11:37I balance the what's happening on stage with the what's happening backstage and making sure communication flows all the way through.
- 11:45I think this rehearsal process has been not when I initially expected, but it's been a fun process.
- 11:51And getting to know all 59 of our cast members has been an exciting adventure.
- 11:56And when I learned three weeks in, I already knew everybody's names.
- 11:59I was so proud of myself.
- 12:01Knowing everybody and just getting to know them.
- 12:03And we have so many different fun personalities on stage.
- 12:06And all of them, all 59 of them have a unique skill set and fun facts about themselves they share.
- 12:15And it's just it's an awesome experience.
- 12:17SPEAKER1: Well, that's what's going to make the production great, right?
- 12:19All of these different people coming together for something.
- 12:22SPEAKER6: So many. So
- 12:23SPEAKER1: fun. Did you do stage management when you were in high school?
- 12:26SPEAKER6: I did not do stage management.
- 12:28My -- I started in the pit.
- 12:31Then I went on stage and then I did some backstage.
- 12:35And so you did theater.
- 12:37SPEAKER1: You just didn't do that portion of it?
- 12:38Yes. Okay. I gotcha.
- 12:40So summers can be busy and committing to a show like this takes a lot of time.
- 12:45Why was it important to you to be a part of this?
- 12:47SPEAKER5: So for me, it was it was kind of a few reasons.
- 12:49Straw Hat's been in my blood for a long time.
- 12:52SPEAKER1: What's the first show
- 12:52SPEAKER5: you ever did? First show I did with Straw Hat specifically was Music Man back in 2010, I think.
- 12:58SPEAKER1: Oh, so you must have played the role of the little boy?
- 13:00SPEAKER5: Oh, no. I was just one of the little, like, little marching band kids.
- 13:03SPEAKER1: Oh, gotcha.
- 13:04SPEAKER5: But that's where it's sort of this story for me has come full circle because a long time ago, when I was at the ripe young age of four, my first show was
- 13:13Beauty and the Beast, where I played a little dancing napkin.
- 13:16And and my dad was Lumiere.
- 13:18And funny enough, Eric.
- 13:20Funny enough, Eric Shirpe, who is our current Cogsworth in this production, was also Cogsworth in that same production 18 years ago.
- 13:27So it feels like a really big full circle moment for me.
- 13:30And it's it's something that I as soon as Straw Hat announced they were doing it, I was like, I must I -- it's like I've got to I've got to make it full
- 13:39circle. And it's been one of those things where Straw Hat has been in my blood.
- 13:44My, my, my mom has done it for a long time.
- 13:48My dad was there pretty much since the beginning.
- 13:51Both of my brothers have been a part of it.
- 13:53My sister in law is the current president of the board.
- 13:56Oh, wow. And so it's just it's a long running thing with our family.
- 14:00And we love the Oregon community so much that we are always looking for ways to bring entertainment to sort of to go.
- 14:07SPEAKER1: From the dancing napkin to Gaston.
- 14:09That's a big leap in 18 years.
- 14:11SPEAKER5: Consider it a glow up.
- 14:12SPEAKER1: I think. Yeah, I think that's pretty cool.
- 14:14How about you, Jordan?
- 14:15SPEAKER6: Well, I mean, speaking of fun facts about our cast members, I learned another one there.
- 14:20There you go. I, I think -- it's just been it's just been an insane experience.
- 14:29SPEAKER1: You can spend your time a lot of ways, right?
- 14:31SPEAKER6: My my time is spent a lot of different directions.
- 14:34But I think the reason why I come back here is also long time connections.
- 14:41Back at the very beginning of Straw Hat, my mom was a part of the very first production, so -- Oh, I didn't know
- 14:46SPEAKER1: that about your mom and I know your mom from working in the school district.
- 14:49SPEAKER6: So long time coming.
- 14:51And when I found theater in high school, um, a part of me was like, "Oh, I'm getting to spend a lot of time with people." And I was really, really
- 15:01shy in school. And so I was like, I can show a little part of me and I don't have to be me because I can be this character and that's not me.
- 15:07Right? Oh, wow. And so I learned that aspect of being able to have a character which has helped me through life and difficult situations
- 15:16and this doing these in the summer is it's just a fun time.
- 15:23Like it's part of fun.
- 15:25So we're work in the summer's a little bit slower, so I have some free time to do my fun things.
- 15:30So I do my fun things, which is productions like Beauty and the Beast.
- 15:34SPEAKER1: That's so insightful though, that you knew at that point in your development that being involved with theater was going to help you.
- 15:40SPEAKER6: Yeah.
- 15:41SPEAKER1: So what's special part about this production or your part?
- 15:45SPEAKER5: Either one? I'm thinking of the production specifically.
- 15:49I think it's we take that classic phrase, a tale as old as time and like really, really like to adapt it.
- 15:56Very early on, our dramaturg uh -- not Duane Draper.
- 16:00My bad. I get both your names mixed up a lot of times.
- 16:04We've been
- 16:04SPEAKER4: around together a long time.
- 16:05SPEAKER5: Exactly. Our dramaturg David Lauver has really stressed to us in the very early rehearsals the literary history that has come with Beauty and the Beast, how
- 16:15it's a long running story that has been told long before the Disney version.
- 16:19And it's something that we've we really want to appreciate that those roots and the long oral and written tradition that has come with the story of Beauty and
- 16:27the Beast. With Gaston, it's been very interesting because he was invented by Disney as sort of the main foil to their idea.
- 16:36And I think his his role in the entire thing, other than being the very fun comedic relief, the guy that has the very fun songs.
- 16:43It's very interesting because with Belle and The Beast, you see a lot of like beauty is found within.
- 16:49That's a big, big notion in the story is that while the beast out -- his outward appearance may be something horrifying and scary, inside, he's a really,
- 16:58like, nice and gentle person.
- 17:00While Gaston has that big that big like loud and like very much the idol of the town kind of energy.
- 17:07But deep down there's something sinister lurking within him.
- 17:10And I think that's something that, you know, we never really think about in our day to day lives is that people put on these outward appearances, but you never
- 17:18really know what's going on inside.
- 17:20SPEAKER1: That connects a little bit with what Jordan said about being able to play a character, right?
- 17:26Because you didn't want to necessarily let everybody see what's down deep inside.
- 17:30Yeah, it's just a lot of deep thinking around these stories.
- 17:35So what's next for your post production and post summer?
- 17:40What's next for you guys?
- 17:41SPEAKER5: Well, I'm going to be heading back to to Millikin to finish up my senior year of college.
- 17:46Scary. But after that, then I got to start finding out where I'm going to be heading in terms of like acting career, in terms of musicals.
- 17:55My plan right now is possibly heading down to the coast, like sort of the Florida coast to start working on cruise ships.
- 18:00Oh, fun. So because I've been on it once, I was like, "Wow, that seems incredibly fun to do," so that's that's my current post-graduation plans.
- 18:08SPEAKER1: Well, that's great.
- 18:10SPEAKER6: My post summer plans include a college, so I'm going for an associate's -- will be starting an associate's.
- 18:18And by the time I complete my associate's, I will have an associate and three certificates.
- 18:23And I hope to use those to capture the moments in the community and moments like Beauty and the Beast and all the other special little
- 18:33moments that happen that not always get noticed just within a within a small community like this and be able to spread the word and capture those.
- 18:41SPEAKER1: That's beautiful.
- 18:43So finally, whenever we have the opportunity to speak to alumni, I like to ask this question "What did you think was the most valuable thing you learned in the
- 18:51OSD that helped you prepare for the path you've taken?" And do you have any advice for current students?
- 18:58Oh, that can be --
- 19:00SPEAKER4: Can I speak at this one?
- 19:01Because mine goes way, way back, doesn't it?
- 19:04Um, there were some really terrific educators in the Oregon School District.
- 19:09There always have been.
- 19:11And I never thought I would be a teacher.
- 19:14Although if you know my family's background, it might not surprise you so much.
- 19:18But they were really centered on developing every kid in whatever they were good at and letting them find their pathway.
- 19:26And I would speak to finding yourself and really being true to who you are.
- 19:32And and you might not know right away.
- 19:34For me, it took a couple of years to figure it out.
- 19:37But when I look back after the time and talked about some of these people that I worked with, I'm very grateful for their work.
- 19:44And I could list a dozen of them easily who really connected.
- 19:48So I think we have such great teachers.
- 19:50I'm sure we still do here in the Oregon School District that they really care about students and and letting everyone find success no matter what that might
- 19:59be.
- 19:59SPEAKER1: Thank you.
- 20:02SPEAKER5: Very much. Going along with what Dwayne just brilliantly said.
- 20:05Trust your educators.
- 20:06They they know what's up.
- 20:08Specifically for me, there was a long time music music teacher back in my middle school days, Miss Patricia Hetland, who long time
- 20:18family friend of ours and a long time Straw Hatters, wonderful person.
- 20:21She really encouraged me to keep going along the path of that I've taken currently.
- 20:28I specifically remember getting ready for an audition for I believe it was Alice in Wonderland Junior with Straw Hat, where she helped me out because we're
- 20:35a long time family friends.
- 20:36And she goes, "Kyle, why are you not in choir?" And so really they they know like how best to help you along with what you're trying to go for.
- 20:45And honestly, the biggest piece of advice, just be willing to try everything.
- 20:50Like in no matter what your passion is, whether like in theater, because people think like for theater very specifically, it's on stage, like that's what you're
- 20:58doing. But there's so many other aspects as we can see that that that Jordan -- like Jordan keeps us together pretty much.
- 21:04Like we would be lost without Jordan.
- 21:06We'd be lost without Dwayne.
- 21:07Like, really think about, like, there's so many things even within your own passions that you can look into.
- 21:12Like even for sports, like, say you've been playing one position or just one sport your entire time.
- 21:17Feel free to, like, try something new and you'll never know what you're what you're going to find like really interesting and something that excites you and
- 21:24just be willing to to give it a shot.
- 21:26Don't -- It's weird saying like, "don't stay within your own shell," but like really just be be willing to to reach out and people will help you along the
- 21:35way.
- 21:35SPEAKER6: Take that step.
- 21:36Yeah, absolutely.
- 21:38Like and I don't know that I could add any more to what's already been said, but no matter how shy or outspoken
- 21:47you are or feel you have to be, be willing to either turn that off some days or heck,
- 21:58if you're -- if you're in any of the musics and you're like, "Hey, I want to try," find out all the other options, because even within the high school
- 22:08theater productions, you don't have to be on stage.
- 22:11Absolutely not. You can be in the pit, you can help with sound, you can help with lights.
- 22:15You could be the person who's running around doing the props.
- 22:18There's so many roles within theater and within the rest of the school, there's there's so many other programs like the the FFA program they have here, all the
- 22:27different shop classes.
- 22:31It's just being willing to take take that study hall that you may want to sign up for and say, "Oh, that class looks interesting." Try taking that class
- 22:40because who know you may, you may, you may make a new friend, you may find a new passion.
- 22:45Who knows? You won't know until you've taken a step out of your comfort zone and tried.
- 22:50And it sounds scary.
- 22:51And as a shy kid in high school, trust me, I get it.
- 22:55But it will benefit you in the long run.
- 22:56And it's it's okay to take that step and be totally, completely shaking in that very first meeting or that very first class.
- 23:04It's okay. And you will make it through.
- 23:06SPEAKER1: Thank you so much for speaking with us today.
- 23:09We can't wait to see this performance.
- 23:12Thanks to our listeners for tuning in this week.
- 23:15Beauty and the Beast performances are August 5th, 6yh, 10th, 11th and 12th at the Oregon High School Performing Arts Center.
- 23:24You can get your tickets online at OregonPerformingArtsCenter.com.
- 23:30Remember that you can find links to all episodes of Inside the OSD and submit topic ideas on our website at OregonSD
- 23:40.org/podcast. You can find this podcast anywhere you can find podcasts.
- 23:45Make sure to subscribe if you're listening on one of these apps to get notifications on the most recent episodes.
- 23:51We'll see you next time on Inside the OSD, where it's all about the kids.
- 23:56[Be Our Guest]