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Friday, October 24, 2008
Musical allows cast to follow dreams
By Rachel Swearingen Contributing Reporter
The best experiences in life come from following a dream, and that is what the plot of the Homecoming Musical, All Shook Up, tries to communicate. The characters in the show all have dreams to fulfill, and each go about ful-
started at Harding University in Searcy, Ark., where he bounced from major to major. He eventually came to ACU and decided to try out for the theatre program. “I just decided to dive in headfirst and I’ve really enjoyed it,” Bragg said. “I could see myself doing this for a job.” Bragg’s character is one
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We’re all gonna try and make it in New York ... We’re going to have kind of an ACU support group out there. :: Jenavene Hester, senior musical theatre major from Abilene
filling them in very different ways. Of course, the actors and actresses in the roles have dreams too – so they bring those real-life dreams to the characters and make them come alive. Jonathan Bragg, senior theatre major from Rowlett, who plays Chad, the leading role, never imagined he would be a theatre major at ACU. He
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of those guys who have plans to follow their dreams. Bragg said that is how he relates to Chad, a charismatic rebel, who has just been released from prison. Chad turns off the highway and lands “in a square little town, in the middle of a square state… in the middle of a square decade,” according to the line in the play.
“Chad has some problems, but his advice to follow dreams – it’s good, and we should all try to follow our dreams,” Bragg said. “I wouldn’t be where I was today if I hadn’t done that. It’s a good message for people who are in between places like I was.” Jenavene Hester, senior theatre major from Abilene, plays the leading role of Natalie, a mechanic who falls in love with Chad when he shows up in the town. Hester grew up doing theatre – her father, Adam Hester, is the chair of ACU’s Theatre Department. “I love musical theatre,” Jenavene Hester said. “This role has been really fun and challenging.” In the musical, Natalie is a tomboy – and Hester said she found that aspect hard to relate to personally. Natalie even dresses as a boy so she can be around Chad more often and calls herself Ed. She and Bragg also took motorcycle driving courses for the show because neither had ever ridden one, and they both ride in the musical. “Theatre is fun because you get to do things you wouldn’t
Zak Zeinert :: chief photographer Above Left: The ensemble dances to Jailhouse Rock. Above: Jasmine Richardson, senior musical theatre major from Round Rock, puts on stage makeup before the show. Below: Will Christoferson, senior theatre major from Abilene, sings with Michelle Alexander, senior theatre major from Houston.
normally do,” Hester said. “That’s one of the reasons I love it so much.” Hester said to relate to Natalie, she focused on Natalie’s energy, spunk and how she fell head-over-heels for a guy. “We’re a lot alike in that aspect,” she said. Another of the leads, Seth Bazacas, plays Dennis, the lovable sidekick who never really seems to get noticed by anyone. Bazacas, senior musical theatre major from Ocean City, N.J., said he started performing in community theatre at a young age and never stopped. “I competed in gymnastics, music and theatre – so everything just kinda dove-tailed into doing theatre in college,” Bazacas said. “I just really have a passion for the arts.” Bazacas said while he and his character do not have many things in common, he still found ways to relate. “There’s never a character you can’t relate to,” Bazacas said. “That’s the beauty of theatre. Dennis is one of those nice guys who finishes last and has low-self esteem – but he’s quirky, and I can relate to that.” Bazacas also said Dennis wears his heart on his
sleeve, and Bazacas has a tendency to do the same. Jasmin Richardson, senior musical theatre major from Houston, plays Lorraine, a 16-year-old hopeless romantic who happens to be black and falls in love with a white boy. “We’re separated by class and race,” Richardson said. “So that makes it hard to be in a relationship.” To relate to Lorraine, Richardson said she used her romantic side. “I’m not as lost and absorbed as she is with romance stories, but I’m sort of a hopeless romantic,” Richardson said. “It’s not a far-fetched similarity – we’re both kinda cuckoo.” Richardson became involved in theatre in middle school and then got the lead her senior year of high school in The Wiz, reinforcing her love of theatre. All four actors dream of eventually moving to New York City to start their careers after graduation. “We’ve got a lot of connections there already, so it won’t be too hard for us,” Hester said. Bazacas said he has connections as well in New Jersey. “We’re going to have kind of an ACU support group out
there,” Bazacas said. “We’re all gonna try and make it in New York.” As for their future careers – most aspire to Broadway, but both Hester and Bragg’s dream roles are in the musical Light in the Piazza, which is already an off-Broadway musical. Richardson said she would love to reprise her role of Aida she had last year in ACU’s Homecoming Musical – but on Broadway. “That would be an amazing experience for me,” Richardson said. And Bazacas hopes to one day fill the role of Frankie Valli in Jersey Boys. “It’s a great character because of the heart he had for music, the passion he had, and the music is fantastic,” he said. But until those dreams come true, the stars are putting all their focus on All Shook Up. “We practice 35-40 hours a week,” Richardson said. “We don’t sleep much.”
E-mail Swearingen at: jmcnetwork@acu.edu