Though spring term has just begun, the cast members of Choate’s spring musical, Bring It On, have already started to prepare for their upcoming production. Actors devote more than 12 hours per week of rehearsals to this musical about a rivalry between the cheerleading teams at Jackson and Truman high schools.
Actor Clay Zachery ’19 spoke enthusiastically about being involved in a musical at Choate for the first time: “I’ve played sports for all of my terms here, so to have this change is something new that I’ve enjoyed for the past few days. I’ve met a lot of people that I wouldn’t have met through athletics.”
Zachery, who will be playing the part of Twig, one of the boys from Jackson, described the plot as “not something you usually see in a production, especially at Choate.” He added, “I think that the message that it sends off is really good and important for Choate to see.” Zachery commented that Twig’s character traits in particular highlight the importance of self-expression and seeing someone for who they truly are.
Lily Kops ’18 was most excited for the dancing and cheering in her role as Skylar, a cheerleader from Truman High School. “I’m excited to get more flexible and do some fun stunts,” she said. Both Kops and Zachery agreed that dancing is the most difficult part of the musical due to its complicated nature.
The play’s characters also pose certain challenges to the actors. Zachery stated that it is difficult to use the sometimes crude and politically incorrect speech in his part. Zachery explained that when Twig is “saying stuff that shouldn’t be said,” it can be difficult. Kops, who said that Skylar also uses similar language, added, “You have to go all in when you say it because it’s your character. You have to create a distinction between what you believe and what your character believes.”
Every weekday, the cast diligently rehearses everything from the music to the dancing to the cheering. Bring It On will run from May 17 to May 19. Based on the talent and commitment of everyone involved in the musical, Bring It On is expected to be a high-flying hit.
