This week, editor Vivi Hirschfield and staff writer Cole Clayton learn how to sing and dance from some of the upcoming musical’s actors. 

With the school year coming to a close, that means the yearly musical is just about to perform. This year’s show Big Fish stars seniors Jack Taylor and Shaya Scales who showed TFS staff members how to be in a musical. 

Differing from plays, musicals require a different set of skills including singing and dancing. 

“You have to be able to take lots of different components out of order and put that together,” Co-director Mrs. Kelly MacBlane said. “You have to do a lot of the work on your own because we only have time to run everything one rehearsal before we start putting it together.”

From the moment that auditions take place in the second week of February all the way until the end of April, students are in three types of rehearsals: vocal, dancing, and acting. 

“The way the show is put together is very non-linear, whereas plays are usually rehearsed in order,” MacBlane said. 

All these skills join together with one goal: to tell a story.

“I love being able to entertain people,” Taylor said.

Regardless of the amount of time spent rehearing, it provides a place where students can come together and be around their friends. 

“I think the energy is just very fun. It’s silly. It’s fun to come after school and laugh together,” Scales said. 

After spending so much time together, the cast members get to know each other and form bonds with one another.

“Spending three to six hours every night with the same people, everybody becomes one big family,” Scales said. 

Theater has the ability to provide a space for students to learn more about themselves throughout their time in shows. 

“It’s taught me to just let go. There’s so many things in a show you can’t control,” Taylor said.  “As long as you are confident in what you’re doing and you’re doing the best you can, then that’s the best thing you can do for the whole show. I think that applies to life in general.” 

Each show tells a unique story that actors use to connect with the audience. 

“I really enjoy directing Big Fish because it’s a very emotional story. I think it’s a story that people can connect with in a variety of different ways,” MacBlane said. “To me, that’s what the point of theater is–to create that human experience and that connection.”