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 – 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 – 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 – 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 – Kaylynn Coulter: Onstage Debut

Council Mother Kaylynn Coulter, right, listens to directions during a notes session of a recent rehearsal for Hairspray.

Before I begin blogging, let me introduce myself. My name is Kaylynn Coulter and I’m a junior at GHS. I play a council mother in our upcoming musical, Hairspray. When I auditioned I was really nervous but I did my best at singing the song and when I saw I got a callback for dance auditions I was nervous but excited. After what seemed forever I looked on the PPP’s Facebook page and saw my name on the cast list. The rest is history. This is my debut role in a PPP production and I couldn’t be more excited! For Fools I was a house manager and part of the costume crew, so it’s very exciting and different to be onstage rather than backstage. This is my first year in the production class and I’m really enjoying myself. Although at times I feel overwhelmed and stressed, I love being part of the PPP and GHS-TV.

During our first week of rehearsals we learned the dances of Hairspray with the amazingly-talented choreographer Whitney Branan. We only had one week to work with Ms. Whitney, so we had to learn the dances quickly. Besides taking ballet and tap when I was very young, I have no dancing background. Going into dance rehearsals made me very nervous, but with some practice at home and all the rehearsals so far I feel much more confident! While we improve and perfect the choreography, we also are rehearsing songs with Mr. Danielson and beginning to start blocking with Mrs. Williams, the director of the show. I will keep you updated on what new elements have come our way in rehearsal as we piece the show together . Be sure to buy your tickets for opening night on February 20th! They go on sale January 27.

– Kaylynn Coulter