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Play goes on at MHS

Cast, volunteers step up to fill in for director

Staff writer

For the first time in years, Janet Killough watched the Marion High School musical as a spectator rather than director Friday.

Killough led the cast of “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers” in rehearsals before having gall bladder surgery on Oct. 23. She expected to recover in time to return to work Oct. 25, but doctors discovered she needed heart surgery.

She had a quadruple bypass on Oct. 27. The surgery took Killough out of action for the remainder of rehearsals.

“It was a done deal once we knew about the heart surgery,” she said Thursday.

Cast members were given the decision to continue with the show or postpone it, she said.

“I wanted them to go on with it,” Killough said.

The cast arrived at the same conclusion, and with help from a multitude of adults, they continued rehearsals.

“(Marion Elementary School kindgergarten teacher) Katie Rahe took on an amazing responsibility when she said she would direct this show,” Killough said.

Rahe, who assisted Killough in several previous productions, was aided by an assortment of volunteers.

MHS Principal Brenda Odgers brainstormed with Rahe about stage directions. Odgers directed high school theater while she worked in Minneapolis, and one of the plays she directed was “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.”

“It’s been a good teamwork experience,” Odgers said. “Katie and I work well together. It’s been a lot of fun.”

MHS choir teacher David Clark led the musical portion of the play, including recruiting and directing musicians to play in the pit orchestra. He also worked on lighting, along with Keith Collett.

The volunteers did a good job working together without stepping on one another’s toes, Clark said.

“I don’t remember people getting angry with each other,” he said.

“I’ve been very blessed to have all the support I’ve had,” Rahe said. “Everybody took over the part they knew best.”

Cast members, led by a sizable group of seniors, committed themselves to giving performances Killough would be proud of, several adults said.

“The kids have just taken leadership,” Odgers said.

Killough said the efforts of volunteers to put forth a quality production were a welcome sight.

“These people that have worked with me before have stepped in and made it a reality,” she said.

She said it also showed the community cared about theater.

“I feel so blessed living in a community that cares about the fine arts,” Killough said.

She didn’t know how she would react to being a spectator on opening night Friday.

“That is going to be really strange,” she said. “Normally I sit in the audience, and when I think someone has forgotten a line, I try to mentally project. No matter what you do, the director doesn’t leave you.”

The show on opening night was impressive, Killough said.

“It’s fun to just watch them,” she said at intermission. “They’re doing so well. I know they’ve been working so hard. It’s not so hard being a spectator.”

Killough is unsure when she will return to teaching. She said her doctor refused to even discuss a timeline for her to return until December.

Costumes come from many sources

Although she doesn’t consider herself a skilled seamstress, Pam Varenhorst coordinated costuming for Marion High School’s production of “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.”

It was a big job, considering the number of costumes used in the musical. With seven brides and seven brothers, the central cast includes 14 characters.

“Most of them have an average of three changes,” Varenhorst said.

That can increase to four or five costume changes for the leads.

Much of the job involved borrowing costumes from other schools and colleges. Varenhorst said she borrowed costumes from Hillsboro High School, Tabor College, and Bethel College, as well as individuals.

For other costume pieces, thrift shops were good starting points. When she couldn’t find a buckskin jacket to borrow, she transformed a thrift store shirt into a costume piece by adding fringe.

“You have to have a vision of what you want and get as close to that as you can,” she said. “A period thing like this is a lot of fun.”

Costume issues can occur even during performances, so she has to be prepared to make quick fixes. An actor had a zipper break during a dress rehearsal, Varenhorst said.

But even when the final curtain closes, the costume coordinator’s job isn’t finished. Costumes that have been fitted to the actors need to be returned to their original condition, and all the borrowed costumes have to be returned.

This is Varenhorst’s third year coordinating costumes for MHS. The first production she was involved in was “Grease” in 2008. The boys’ costumes in that seemed easy enough — plain white T-shirt, blue jeans, and sneakers — but she had to make sure the jeans were accurate to the 1950s setting. On the other hand, rounding up enough poodle skirts for the girls was a challenge.

For all the work that goes into costuming, Varenhorst said she was happy to help.

“I was in theater in college,” she said. “You do it because you like it.”

Last modified Nov. 18, 2010

 

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