Kaori Nicole Clemmer, Larrun Maynor, Mareena Rodriguez, and Jonathan Russell are shown in the stage photo provided by Milligan College.
Being in a musical can be tough. There are lines to learn, songs to sing, rehearsals to make. All of that on top of a normal student schedule can be stressful. Senior Jonathan Russell is taking it all in stride as he prepares for his lead role as Phoebus in The Hunchback of Notre Dame.
The musical, directed by Dr. Carrie Klofach, Milligan’s assistant professor of Musical Theatre is the first one put on by Milligan’s musical theatre in four years. The show has more than 80 individuals between performers, the orchestra, the choir and set designers, most of which are Milligan students.
Russell, a business and pre-law double major who sings in chapel often, is in a different boat than many of the other actors because this is his first time acting.
“I was actually in the basement of Seeger practicing a song for chapel one evening, and Dr. Klofach knocked on the door,” Russell said. “She said ‘your voice is great, you need to try out’, and that gave me the gusto to try out.”
Russell worked through his nerves to try out in November with a song from Aladdin. Though he forgot the second verse of the song and repeated the first verse, he earned the part of Phoebus. To prepare for the following two months of work, Russell explained that he sat down with his mom and watched the Disney version.
“The story is very culturally relevant,” Russell said. “It talks about the outcast and how the church has failed him. It’s cool for the political culture of today.”
The crew practices four times a week for three hours each day. Practices began during the last week of January by simply running through the music for the first two weeks. The next three weeks were focused on blocking it out and running lines.
“It was hard at first to learn the lines and entrances, but now it’s starting to become second nature,” said Russell.
After spring break, it was time to work with props running through full acts. The final full week before the performance was spent working with the choir and the orchestra and finishing sets to bring everything together.
Before the performances, which run Wednesday through Sunday. A full dress rehearsal took place on Saturday, March 23 complete with costume fittings. Monday, the 25th and Tuesday, the 26th brought more run-throughs to get the cast and everyone else entirely prepared to perform.
“It’s a moving story so I hope the audience is moved by the story, engaged with the characters and challenged to reach those who feel that they are outcasts,” Russell said.
Klofach, who has a slew of credentials behind her, is the director of the musical which is based on Victor Hugo’s 1831 novel of the same name.
I think we’re all really excited. There are always weak spots, but we’re trying to hammer those and trust the director,” Russell said. “This is Dr. Klofach’s first musical here, but she’s very good at what she does.
A few other lead cast members to watch out for are senior Derek Jeffers, freshman Kevin Odom, junior Maggie Booher and assistant professor of business administration Dr. Shannon Hogan.
Hogan was cast as Frollo the Archdeacon of the cathedral, and he also has never been in a musical before.
He explained that he has six kids, and one of the coolest parts of being in the play was that he got to experience it all with his wife and kids because they avidly sang the songs and helped him with his lines.
“I tried out for the play to show my children that one should never stop challenging themselves and to also meet new Milligan students and faculty,” said Hogan.
The musical is free on Wednesday, March 27th to all Milligan students, faculty, and staff for preview night, but Thursday thru Sundays’ admission will cost $10.