Latest / Inside the OSD / S3 E12 - The Little Mermaid - Behind the Scenes Ft. Marsha Heuer, Erica Briski, Beau Jacobs, & Kaj Booker

Transcript

S3 E12 - The Little Mermaid - Behind the Scenes Ft. Marsha Heuer, Erica Briski, Beau Jacobs, & Kaj Booker · Inside the OSD

• 0:02
  SPEAKER1: Welcome dear friends.
• 0:03
  SPEAKER2: Today we are at the Oregon High School Performing Arts Center to get a behind the scenes look at the upcoming production of Disney's The Little Mermaid.
• 0:12
  Today, we're talking with the director, Marsha Heuer, and some of the cast members.
• 0:20
  SPEAKER3: Welcome to this episode of Inside the OSD podcast, where it's all about the kids.
• 0:25
  Here is your host, lifelong educator, and our superintendent, doctor Leslie Bergstrom.
• 0:34
  SPEAKER4: We're here at the Performing Arts Center, and the cast is buzzing and music is in the air.
• 0:39
  So let's start with our director. Could you start by introducing yourself and telling us a little bit about your role at OHS and with this production?
• 0:47
  SPEAKER5: Sure. My name is Marsha Heuer. Um, this is my third year at OHS as a social studies teacher.
• 0:53
  Um, so I teach AP World history and I teach the history of race and ethnicity, and I also teach AVID this year.
• 1:00
  I'm the AVID freshman teacher. Um, but I've been helping with the musical and the play for the past three years.
• 1:05
  I have a background in doing that at my previous schools as well, and so it's been great working with,
• 1:11
  with Mike Ducett and, and Jennifer Yancey.
• 1:13
  But this year I'm the director and choreographer of Disney's The Little Mermaid.
• 1:17
  SPEAKER4: So how was The Little Mermaid selected as this year's musical production?
• 1:22
  SPEAKER5: So, because I was going to be the director this year, I was able to bring the three shows that I thought were going to be the best
• 1:27
  fit. Um, and one of my criteria this year was to do something that we had never done.
• 1:32
  And because Disney had not been touched here yet and actually, I've never directed a Disney show,
• 1:38
  I thought, this--
• 1:39
  SPEAKER4: It's first for
• 1:39
  SPEAKER5: you too! So it's exciting because there's so many opportunities.
• 1:43
  I knew there was going to be a lot of technical challenges, yes, but there's also so many female roles and roles that could be gender
• 1:49
  --regardless, it doesn't matter who is playing--gender neutral.
• 1:52
  It's just--it's perfect. And you know, we have so many talented students here.
• 1:56
  And I just wanted to make sure that we had a show that could really highlight them all.
• 2:00
  SPEAKER4: Oh, I love that. So this is truly a student production.
• 2:04
  So talk about how many students are involved.
• 2:06
  What types of roles, especially those that are in addition to being on stage?
• 2:11
  SPEAKER5: Absolutely. We have well over 100 students involved in this show from high school,
• 2:15
  which is incredible. That is. Yeah. So we have over 60 in the cast.
• 2:19
  I don't know if it's 20 to 30 in tech because some, you know, are helping for the entire production,
• 2:24
  some are just helping for leading up to it.
• 2:26
  And then over 20 in the pit orchestra as well.
• 2:28
  So it's it's really a very, very student heavy show.
• 2:32
  SPEAKER4: Oh, that is so great because these it's a memory maker for our students.
• 2:36
  Right.
• 2:36
  SPEAKER5: Absolutely.
• 2:37
  SPEAKER4: So many are familiar with The Little Mermaid because it's a Disney favorite.
• 2:41
  What is special about this rendition of the story that our students are preparing?
• 2:45
  SPEAKER5: Yeah. So Disney made this into a musical.
• 2:49
  So it is still Disney's The Little Mermaid.
• 2:51
  And yet there's so many new songs that are not in the original movie that were added because the because the original movie really just focuses on Ariel's
• 2:57
  journey. Right? Um, and this brings in other characters as well.
• 3:01
  So her sisters have a much bigger role. The sisters have an entire song.
• 3:05
  Um, and of course, all the other characters.
• 3:08
  And so there's just a lot of fun, new kind of surprises that I think the audience is going to find.
• 3:14
  If they're familiar with the movie, they're going to know how it ends, they're going to know the whole storyline. But there's something so special
• 3:20
  about seeing it live on stage, of course, especially because we've had to become really creative in how we use our
• 3:25
  students and how to make the magic happen.
• 3:28
  So something I'm really excited about is I created this, this water ensemble with eight dancers that are just gorgeous,
• 3:36
  and they truly make the magic happen during a lot of the scenes.
• 3:40
  And I know that with the lighting and everything else going together, it's just going to be it's going to be just gorgeous.
• 3:47
  SPEAKER4: I can't wait to see this. All right, so let's talk about logistics.
• 3:51
  When are the performances and how can families and community members get tickets?
• 3:55
  SPEAKER5: Sure. So this year we actually have added a fourth performance.
• 3:58
  We are opening on Thursday, February 20th.
• 4:02
  So we have a Thursday, Friday and Saturday night, the 20th, 21st and 22nd, and then a Sunday matinee.
• 4:08
  Now the Saturday nights, we've actually changed the times as well because this is a family friendly all ages show.
• 4:14
  So we are starting at 7 p.m. so that the show will end just after 9:00.
• 4:19
  And it's a little bit later after bedtime, but
• 4:21
  SPEAKER4: some kids can still get home to bed. Yeah, that's a great idea.
• 4:24
  SPEAKER5: Absolutely. So it's--we have four shows.
• 4:26
  They can go to the performing arts center, um, site online and to reserve tickets,
• 4:31
  or they can come to the show. But I have a feeling this is going to probably sell out.
• 4:35
  So I would recommend people trying to get tickets early or getting here early.
• 4:38
  That's why we've added a fourth show, because we know there's just going to be so many people that want to see it. And they should.
• 4:44
  SPEAKER4: They should. This is so exciting. Thank you.
• 4:47
  And now we're going to turn to our students.
• 4:49
  We'll start with introductions. Please share your name, year in school and your role in the musical.
• 4:54
  SPEAKER6: Hi, my name is Kaj'mir Booker. I'm a freshman and I am Sebastian in the musical.
• 5:00
  SPEAKER4: Thank you.
• 5:01
  SPEAKER7: I'm Erica Briski. I'm a senior and I play Ariel.
• 5:04
  SPEAKER8: I'm Beau Jacobs. I am a junior, and I play Prince Eric.
• 5:08
  SPEAKER4: Thank you, you guys. So tell us about rehearsals and how they've been going so far.
• 5:12
  SPEAKER6: Rehearsals have been going good. We're now into the dress rehearsal stage, so that means makeup and costumes and actually getting mics.
• 5:21
  And we already have the pit orchestra as well, so it's going really well, including props.
• 5:26
  So everyone's really excited too.
• 5:28
  SPEAKER4: I bet. I hear the costumes are pretty magnificent.
• 5:30
  SPEAKER6: They really are.
• 5:31
  SPEAKER4: Erica?
• 5:32
  SPEAKER7: Yeah, I feel like everything's finally coming together, like you said. Like today we're doing dress rehearsals, so we'll be in our
• 5:36
  costumes, and you have to worry about, um, like, planning out your costume changes and,
• 5:41
  like, how much time you have, which is always fun, in my opinion. But it's kind of chaotic, but it's fun at the same time.
• 5:47
  SPEAKER4: How fast can you change a costume?
• 5:49
  SPEAKER7: It depends, it depends. I feel like for me, I know one of them is like, maybe like 30 seconds.
• 5:56
  SPEAKER4: Oh my goodness, that is really fast!
• 5:58
  SPEAKER7: Unless they change that. But we'll see.
• 5:59
  SPEAKER4: Okay.
• 5:59
  SPEAKER7: That's what's tonight's for.
• 6:01
  SPEAKER4: How about you, Beau? What can you add?
• 6:03
  SPEAKER8: Uh, I think us having mics now will really, like, finalize, like us with music,
• 6:10
  because it's like we haven't had mics and with, like, the loud pit orchestra, we can't really
• 6:16
  SPEAKER4: That'll feel so different--and like.
• 6:19
  SPEAKER8: But I think now I think it'll all click and be good.
• 6:23
  Yeah.
• 6:23
  SPEAKER4: All right, I like it. So then the next is what's been a highlight of your experience?
• 6:28
  And I'll start with you. What do you think?
• 6:31
  SPEAKER8: Okay. Um, I think honestly, like being prepared.
• 6:38
  SPEAKER4: Like knowing how important it is to be prepared.
• 6:41
  SPEAKER8: Yeah. Like, I think compared to last year, I know, I'm like, I was fully memorized,
• 6:47
  like, a week and a and a half ago. Wow. And I know during Big Fish I was not, like,
• 6:55
  memorized like, that well, until tech week.
• 6:59
  Okay. Which is the week that we're in right now.
• 7:02
  Got it. Yeah.
• 7:04
  SPEAKER4: How about you, Erica?
• 7:05
  SPEAKER7: Um, I guess just like having it. Um, like, it's my senior year, so getting to perform with all of my friends is fun.
• 7:12
  And it's kind of like we're the group that the underclassmen look up to.
• 7:16
  And, I don't know, it's like a kid friendly musical.
• 7:18
  And it kind of like, circles around back to my childhood.
• 7:21
  So it's fun.
• 7:23
  SPEAKER4: Sure does. What are you thinking of?
• 7:25
  SPEAKER6: Hanging out with all my friends. Since most of my friends are in the musical today,
• 7:29
  and we've all just been talking about different parts of it, so it's really nice to hang out with people and also meet other people that you
• 7:35
  really see around school.
• 7:37
  SPEAKER4: Oh yeah. Now let's--let's go with that. So you're a freshman.
• 7:41
  This is your first year at an OHS musical.
• 7:44
  So what made you decide to join the musical your very first year?
• 7:47
  And what would you say to other people who are thinking maybe they have an interest too?
• 7:52
  SPEAKER6: I joined it because I was tech for Macbeth, and I've always just had like an interest in musicals.
• 7:57
  So that's why I joined. And also a couple of my other friends were joining.
• 8:01
  And for advice I say, just do it. It's not.
• 8:05
  It's easier said than done, but like if you have an interest in it, I would suggest doing it.
• 8:09
  Even if it's just like a "well, I'm new to this thing." Or if you don't like, want to be on stage,
• 8:14
  but you want to be involved in theater, tech is a really good place to do since they have multiple jobs for people to
• 8:20
  join.
• 8:21
  SPEAKER4: And now look at you. So it's your first OHS musical and you've got a pretty significant role.
• 8:25
  Yes. Right. Sebastian is pretty significant.
• 8:27
  So this was a big jump. That's exciting.
• 8:31
  SPEAKER6: Yeah, it definitely is really exciting.
• 8:32
  SPEAKER4: Yeah, I bet you're going to have people in the audience cheering for you.
• 8:36
  It'll be good. All right Erica. So now as you mentioned, you've done this several times.
• 8:42
  It's senior year. How does it feel to have this be your last show?
• 8:49
  SPEAKER7: I mean, I don't know. It's definitely sad.
• 8:51
  This is like one of the main things I look forward to, like at school and with my friends.
• 8:56
  So it's kind of like bittersweet because yeah, you get to do it and it's fun, but like,
• 8:59
  it all comes to an end.
• 9:00
  SPEAKER4: But what about next year? Do you plan to keep continuing with performance?
• 9:06
  SPEAKER7: Um, I'm planning on going to UW Madison and majoring in biochemistry and following like a pre-med track,
• 9:11
  but I think I'm going to for sure not, like, give this away and give it up.
• 9:14
  I'm going to try to like, join different clubs or like community theaters and stuff like that.
• 9:19
  So.
• 9:19
  SPEAKER4: Oh that's fantastic. So finally, what's special about this show and why should our listeners and community members get tickets?
• 9:30
  There's anybody--jump right in.
• 9:32
  SPEAKER7: I mean, it's a--it's a family friendly show.
• 9:34
  So everybody of all ages will definitely enjoy it.
• 9:37
  And there's also so many different people from different backgrounds and perspectives involved that It really encapsulates so many different just ways of
• 9:47
  putting a musical together. Yeah.
• 9:49
  SPEAKER8: And the set. The set is really I mean--when
• 9:53
  SPEAKER4: I saw it, it was
• 9:53
  SPEAKER7: beautiful.
• 9:55
  SPEAKER4: Yeah.
• 9:56
  SPEAKER8: And the vocals, like, you'll enjoy hearing it.
• 10:00
  Like.
• 10:01
  SPEAKER4: I'm sure I will, because you did kind of a sneak preview for staff at the Back to School event,
• 10:08
  right? So we get them excited about Little Mermaid in August, actually.
• 10:13
  So I bet a lot of them will be, um, purchasing tickets.
• 10:17
  What would you like to add?
• 10:19
  SPEAKER6: Is truly like a fun for all ages from like kids to especially people who are like specialized in like lights or just in theater performance.
• 10:27
  You'll see all the little details actors will put in, or even all the details from props and light designs to is like,
• 10:34
  truly amazing.
• 10:36
  SPEAKER4: Okay, I'm so excited to see this, so thanks for taking a little bit of time to talk with us today and I'm really looking forward to the performance,
• 10:44
  and I'm sure our community is too. Thank you.
• 10:47
  Disney's The Little Mermaid has four performances between Thursday, February 20th and Sunday,
• 10:52
  February 23rd at the Oregon High School Performing Arts Center.
• 10:57
  You can get your tickets online at OregonPerformingArtsCenter.com.
• 11:03
  Remember that you can find links to all episodes of Inside the OSD and submit topic ideas on our website at Oregon
• 11:13
  SD.org/podcast. You can find this podcast anywhere you can find podcasts.
• 11:18
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• 11:24
  We'll see you next time on Inside the OSD, where it's all about the kids.