***This article was written by Chase Palm, a participant in The Kewanee Voice Student Journalism Program, funded by the Harry Anderson Memorial Trust.
The Kewanee High School musical opening night is fast approaching, and, for students, that comes with it the daunting realization that the show is almost over. The months of work put in behind the scenes are finally going to pay off with two performances from the cast and crew on Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 13-14.
SpongeBob will be the last curtain call for the KHS senior participants, something that brings mixed emotions for the students. However, instead of letting the sadness seep in, the seniors decided to reflect on the things they enjoyed the most about participating in theater at KHS.
The seniors, Issac Lynes, Abbie Bartell, Ashley VanWassenhove, Tori Dennison and Cooper Bates agreed to answer six questions about their time spent in the theater department at KHS. Here’s their replies:
How many years have you been in theater?
The answers to this question ranged from two to four years. Lynes noted that this year’s musical will be his eighth production at the high school.
How has involvement in theater rewarded you?
Tori Dennison: “The most rewarding part of musical is curtain call when you get to be recognized for all of the time and hard work you put into this production.”
Issac Lynes: “Musical has been rewarding for me because it allowed me to make lifelong friends, and build a strong sense of community. I’ve met two of my very best friends through theater and musical. But most importantly, it’s rewarding because I’ve found my love of theater through the department and musical.”
Abbie Bartell: “It took me out of my comfort zone and gave me new friends and experiences.”
Ashley VanWassenhove: “It’s shown me that I’m capable of the talent I didn’t know I had, including singing, acting and dancing.”
Why did you choose to be in theater?
Tori Dennison: “I knew that I wanted to be in musical when we went to go and see the shows back at Central. They were such a key memory for me. I knew that I wanted to pursue that memory and pass it on to the next generation.”
Issac Lynes: “I have chosen to be a part of musical because I live and breathe theater. Theater brings me such much joy and happiness, so there was no question as to if I wanted to participate. Not to mention the plethora of benefits it brings to a person. In theater, I’ve learned to be more self-confident, step outside of my comfort, and build long lasting relationships. I can’t wait to come back next year to see the musical, and I will always encourage other current students to take part in musical and all the other theater productions as well.”
Abbie Bartell: “I’ve always wanted to try new things, and I always wanted to sing on stage and be someone new.”
Cooper Bates: “I chose to be in the musical because I genuinely have fun doing it, and I just want to make a good show out of love for the craft.”
Was there a favorite show you participated in?
The unanimous vote for the “favorite show” seemed to be Beauty and the Beast, KHS’s musical in 2022. Bates shared that he had “very fond memories of that show,” while Dennison stressed that the environment the upperclassmen made during that production was truly special.
Were there any favorite moments you had while participating in theater?
Issac Lynes: “One of my favorite moments has to be the confetti cannon or smoke machine from Beauty and the Beast. We had a ginormous gold confetti cannon and an awesome transformation scene with fog that was amazing to witness in person,”
Cooper Bates: “One of my favorite moments in my musical career was when I was playing Lefou in Beauty and the Beast. There was a moment when in the show where I am chased out of the castle by Tori Dennison falling over myself and screaming hysterically. I got a pretty good response from the audience doing that.”
Abbie Bartell: “I loved performing for the little kids and hearing their reactions while we performed,” Bartell said.
Are you going to be pursuing a degree and/or participating in theater in college?
The seniors are busy planning for the next chapter in their lives, and many of them are making sure theater is a part of it. Bates intends to start a career in voice acting after he graduates from KHS. Lynes plans to obtain a BA in Theater from Monmouth College. Dennison mentioned that even though she plans to pursue a degree in biology after high school, she still wants to make time to participate in theater productions during her college career.
Catch the seniors final high school performance and the rest of the cast and crew in SpongeBob the Musical on Saturday, Jan. 13 at 7 p.m. and Sunday, Jan. 14 at 2 p.m. in the Peterson Auditorium.
