Student Stories – Kaylynn Coulter: The Final Curtain Call

Hello! It has been about 2 weeks since Hairspray‘s closing night and things around the PPP are just settling down. After 3 weeks of performing at least 3 nights each week, I find myself with all this free time and it feels very odd.

I still find myself singing the songs from the musical on a regular basis and it takes me back to all the different emotions we would all feel while singing these songs. The moment I stepped on stage opening night was like no other. Energy and excitement were flowing through me as a full house starred back at me. Each night performing was a new, fun experience because you weren’t quite sure how the audience would react to each line and joke told. Every performance I found myself growing closer and closer with the cast and crew.

Hairspray, being my first main-stage performance at the Poplar Pike Playhouse, is an experience I’ll never forget. From opening night’s squeals of excitement to closing night’s tears (knowing this is last time we will all be together as a cast on stage), it was a journey! When I took my final bow as a Council Mother I thought about how much fun next year’s musical will be!

Kaylynn Coulter

Student Stories – Taylor Shennett: Good Morning PPP

Make-up chairman Taylor Shennett goes through the process of turning Maclean Mayers into Edna Turnblad.

WOW.

The last three nights were amazing performances by both the crew and especially the cast. The energy backstage was tremendous and the crowd helped build up even more energy than we had.

Before opening night the energy backstage was in a lull, the set wasn’t completed, and quick changes weren’t so quick. However, it all change Thursday night when we had a real audience to perform for. The set was completed and the quick changes became quick. It’s amazing how everyone pulled together to finish the last touches for the show. It’s a blast to work with the cast and crew now because we all have the same goal: make the audience laugh and love the show. I hope everyone in the area gets a chance to watch this “hair-raising” show!

Buy your tickets now before it’s to late!

Shennett

Student Stories – Kaylynn Coulter: It’s Hairspray!

Kaylynn Coulter (top right) and the rest of the Hairspray cast are nearing opening night on February 20.

Hey I’m back! This week has been a crazy week of rehearsals and I seriously can’t believe opening night is less than a week away!!!! All our long nights of rehearsal are about to pay off and I’m so excited!
Every aspect of the show has really come together and every crew is working so hard. The set is looking so bright and colorful! Our costumes are incredible and each costume is so creatively made. Sunday is our first dress rehearsal and I can’t wait wear all my make-up, wigs and costumes! Opening night is February 20th, hope to see you there!

From the streets of Baltimore,

Kaylynn

Student Stories – Taylor Shennett: It takes two, or more like a whole crew

Things have been hectic this week as we approach tech week starting on Saturday! There are so many more things that have to be completed before the run of the show. First off… the set has to be completed, props must be finished, costumes need to be sewn and of course wigs have to be completed. For the past few rehearsals I’ve been sitting in to watch the show and take notes. As make-up chairman, it’s my job to watch some of the rehearsals before the tech rehearsal so that I know where a quick change might occur and where each actor is located during the show. I haven’t seen a complete run through of the show yet, but so far the show is looking great! My crew and I have been rushing to complete the finale wigs for the council girls for the number “It’s Hairspray!” It’s been a lot of fun learning how to create wigs with such height.

I’m looking forward to the tech rehearsals and for the show to start running. Personally, the best part of working a show is working backstage with the actors. There is a rush of adrenaline that goes through me every time there is a quick change, it always keeps me on my toes! By the way, a quick change is when the actor, or in some cases actors, only have a minute or less to change into another costume. This might include wigs, shoes, jewelry,etc. The hardest ones is when an actor has to change their clothes and also their wig.

More later,

Shennett 

Student Stories – Taylor Shennett: Make-up and Costumes

From left, Ericka Garrison and Taylor Shennett have been busy in the costume room as opening night grows closer.

With only two weeks until opening night there is a rush for every crew member and even the actors. Mrs. Walz has now pulled me onto costumes to assist Maria Herrera, costume chairman, with costumes. I haven’t been able to sew any dresses (I don’t know how!) but I’ve been able to help cut patterns, sew buttons and snaps. We’ve had a few late nights but it’s always fun. The first time Mrs. Walz bought us pizza and the second time she bought us soda and candy. Personally I think it’s the best time to work on costumes, because it’s nice and quiet and everybody is nice! Mrs. Walz ordered us some wigs for makeup. I got Tracy, Amber, and a few others wigs! They look great!

More later,

Shennett

Student Stories – Kaylynn Coulter: It takes more than two!

Hello!

Opening night is getting closer and closer, 3 weeks away to be exact! Ads are due really soon and I’m proud to say I sold all $595 I was supposed to and I even went over a little bit!

Every aspect in this show is a lot of work and requires a lot of help! Everyday after school I have rehearsal, so during 6th period I try to help costumes whenever I can. Putting on a large, elaborate musical like this requires everyone’s help and takes a lot of time and effort.

In rehearsals we’ve been redoing some of the choreography in “Good Morning Baltimore” and “Welcome to the 60’s” to make them bigger and better! Mr. Danielson is here everyday making sure we sing loud and beautiful in our harmonies. It’s been a busy, tiring week but it will all pay off on opening night!

Talk to you later,

Kaylynn

Student Stories – Taylor Shennett: Helpful attitudes

Make-up chairman Taylor Shennett creates one of the many wigs for Hairspray.

There is a lot to get done in order to prepare for Hairspray. Every crew is needed to spend time after each school day to work on their crew or help other crews. For me, I like helping out with costumes when there aren’t many make-up things to work on. Yesterday I assisted costumes for a few hours by doing anything they needed me to do. I learned how to sew buttons and snaps, and I’m currently working on one of the council member’s jackets! I found that I actually enjoy costumes, and I’ll be helping them out again today. I like that everyone is given a chance to help out on any crew they want. We are exposed to different aspects of theater, which broadens our talents.

There are many students in the class that are more than willing to help out with different crews and it’s very helpful to the chairmen. I’m thankful we are getting closer to being done with our wigs. There are still some wigs we need to built, but it won’t be a difficult job.

As of right now all the students are required to sell ads. Unfortunately, there are only 6 of us who have hit our goal. The rest of the class is working hard to sell them. Everyone is helping each other. I think one of the main things that someone has to be able to do in a theater class is help each other. By helping others, the individual is helping the specific crew get ready and they are building up their teamwork abilities. Without teamwork, the show wouldn’t flow as smoothly as it’s suppose to run. I’m glad most everyone involved is more than willing to help others.

More later,

Shennett

Student Stories – Kaylynn Coulter: Let’s Be Bold

Music director Steve Danielson takes the Hairspray cast through the 1st rehearsal.

Sing louder!

That seems to be the message this week in rehearsal. With Mrs. Williams out sick with the flu, Mr. A has been in rehearsal working on scenes and dances with us. This past Friday’s rehearsal was all choral with Mr. D, our music director. Saturday we worked on all the dances and began working on scenes. I really enjoy the part of rehearsal when we run through the dances, although I have realized how difficult it is to dance and sing at the same time. It’s really cool seeing how everyone is beginning to develop their characters and how they incorporate their character into the dances. Everyday I feel more and more confident with the dances and I can’t stop singing all the songs!

With more fun to come,

– Kaylynn Coulter

Student Stories – Taylor Shennett: Keep Calm and Make-up on

Make-up chairman Taylor Shennett prepares one of the many wigs that will be used in the Playhouse production.

Hello!

There are four weeks until the big show and all the crews are working together to get prepared. Us make-up girls are working everyday on creating the iconic wigs.  Last week we only had 12 wigs, but since then our wig counter now holds 23 wigs! Personally, wigs are not my forte but thankfully it is for many on my crew.  I do, however, enjoy sketching out the make-up sketches. Make-up sketches are created before tech week and they are what we, the make-up artists, use when we apply make-up to the actors’ faces. The sketches show us where shadows are to be applied, what eye shadow color to use, the base color the actor uses and where old age is supposed to be applied. Make-up artists that work on Broadway use them as a back-up in case the make-up artist doing a particular character is unable to come to that show. They are extremely important to any production. Since there are so many characters in the show, my make-up crew and I divide the characters amongst ourselves. I’m so excited to see how all of the sketches turn out. Every character has its own personality, which must be shown through the sketches and then later translated off the page and onto the actor’s face. This Saturday we will be working on even more wigs and of course the make-up sketches.

More to come,

Shennett

Student Stories – Kelsey Kimble: Introducing Myself

Kelsey Kimble (front left) said the past week of intense rehearsals with choreographer Whitney Branan (front right) have been a challenge that will pay off when Hairspray opens at the Poplar Pike Playhouse February 20.

Might I say, I believe that blogging for the Poplar Pike Playhouse throughout my experience of the musical Hairspray is going to be absolutely fabulous. I wanted to take the opportunity of my first post to introduce myself before I begin furiously writing. My name is Kelsey Kimble and I will be playing Tracy in our upcoming production of Hairspray. I am a senior at Germantown High School so the opportunity to play the lead in my last show of high school is extremely exciting and bound to be one of the best experiences of my life.

Now to begin. This past week we began what may be called the most involved portion of rehearsals- dance rehearsals. As a cast, we embarked on the challenge to learn every single dance number in the show within one week. We have been extremely fortunate, however, to be taught by Whitney Branan– a choreographer straight from Broadway who has created top notch dance sequences for us to perform. I’m not going to lie…after our first seven hour rehearsal on Saturday, it was a struggle just for me to climb a simple flight of stairs. Now, on Wednesday morning after several more days of intense rehearsal with Ms. Whitney the physical strain is still rough but knowing the end result of how fantastic we will all look once the entire show is put together overcomes the soreness.

Starting off rehearsals, I know for sure that all of the cast and crew involved in this production are in for a huge success. As long as the hard work continues and everyone keeps the excitement going, I am sure that we will have a sellout show on our hands. Looking forward to the rest of the week, it will certainly be a tight schedule to ensure that all of the dance numbers are covered. Once we move on, it is on to blocking for the cast of Hairspray as we continue to piece together each and every element needed for a solid show.

Next week, there is bound to be exciting tales to tell of the journey through blocking. And of course, make sure to mark your calendars for opening night, February 20th!

-Kelsey Kimble