1994-1995:
Continuing to grow and gain experience, we celebrated earning over 1000 dollars for a play through Alice in Wonderland!
Fall, 1994: Alice in Wonderland by Charlotte Chorpenning
Requiring many specialized costumes and colorful characters, this first trip to Wonderland featured many memorable moments. Jeremy Macy and Michael Johnson played their Mad Tea Party characters so well they even ran an entire pep assembly for the school in character that year!
"Chasing the White Rabbit, Alice tumbles down the rabbit hole into Wonderland. She meets all its famous residents: the King of Hearts, Red Queen, White Queen, Tweedledee and Tweedledum, the Gryphon, Mock Turtle, the Dormouse, Mad Hatter and March Hare, the Frog Footman, the Dutchess, the Caterpillar and White Rabbit." (Licensed by Dramatic Publishing www.dramaticpublishing.com)
Cast and Crew
- White Rabbit Brooke Larson
- Alice Heather Brown
- The Caterpillar Monika Bower
- The Frog Footman Danielle Russell
- The Cook Kristy Perrault
- The Duchess Stephanie Nugent
- The Cheshire Cat Cheri Born
- The March Hare Jeremy Macy
- The Mad Hatter Michael Johnson
- The Dormouse Laura Green
- The Mock Turtle Trisha Brock
- The Gryphon Nikki Emch
- Tweedledee Jesse Macy
- Tweedledum Chris Carlile
- The Red Queen Debbie Fergus
- The White Queen Alexandra Muratovska
- The King Ben Irion
- The Knave Cheri Born
- The Executioner Kay Lynn Barnick
- Poster design: Kajsa Ericsson
- Costumes Stephanie Nugent, manager
- Cast and crew and parents
- Props Beckie Bruhn, Laura Greene
- Backdrop painting Kajsa Ericsson, Seth Portteus
- Lights Adam Buechler
- Sound Seth Portteus
- House Manager Sarah Russell
- Director's Assistant Lanye Barnick
Spring, 1995: Great Expectations by Robert Johanson
This show was very challenging for several reasons. Not only did it run a whopping 2.5 hours, it also contained set locations including a marsh, a mansion (where Miss Havisham lights herself on fire), and a fight on a boat in the water at a dock! During one show, in which Mrs. Brant had to cover the part of a mean spirited blacksmith, the fuses went on our little lightboard---one bank of lights at a time--while she was on stage, until finally we were left with only the followspot! We ended up pirating fuses from Adam Buechler's car to get through the rest of the show! On the "bright" side, we had some of the best acting we had ever done in that play--now fodder for stories for Mrs. Brant as she teaches characterization to her Intro Drama classes!
"Young Pip, the blacksmith's apprentice whose secret benefactor gives him his great expectations of becoming a London gentleman; the mad Miss Havisham who shut herself up in her gloomy mansion when she was jilted on her wedding day; her adopted daughter, Estella, whom she has trained to break men's hearts; the gentle blacksmith, Joe, and his shrewish wife; the escaped convict, Magwitch, and the scarred man who is stalking him; the bumbling Herbert Pocket; the pompous Uncle Pumblechook; the austere lawyer, Jaggers, with his whimsical clerk, Wemmick; the murderous Orlick; kindly Biddy; arrogant Drummle; and a vast array of wonderfully actable roles. The production can be played simply on a set which cleverly takes the audience from the windswept marshes to gloomy mansion, bustling London and even a boat collision on the Thames. Gripping drama, delightful humor and a true Dickensian flavor all the while." (licensed by Dramatic Publishing www.dramaticpublishing.com)
1995-1996:
Fall, 1995: A Christmas Carol by Brian Way
The classic Charles Dickens tale of Ebenezer Scrooge's night of hauntings by the three spirits and his subsquent redemption was performed in December of 1995. It also was the first play in which we used professionally printed posters, taking things up another notch! Many notable performances were a part of it as well as some "humorous" moments, like the rehearsal when the Ghost of Christmas Future (Aaron Shuck) couldn't see out of his voluminous robe and got confused as to which side of the stage he was supposed to lead Scrooge (Michael Johnson) off--and as he pointed three different directions, a frustrated Scrooge yelled, "How the heck am I supposed to know where I am going, if the GHOST doesn't even know???" During performance, a few actors such as Chad Cooper and Jeff Charbonneau (especially the latter) were famous for ad libbing during their scenes--some of which got a bit carried away.... Ironically, Mr. Charbonneau got to try to reign in such behavior later--he came back to teach here and became the assistant drama director!
Spring, 1996: The Wizard of Oz by Elizabeth Chapman
Our first take of this famous show was not a formal musical, but it was fun to produce! It also was the first time we had the help of the sewing talents of Mrs. Debra Geffe, as her daughter Katie was in this play. She is still helping today!
"Dorothy finds herself in the land of the Munchkins, and must journey to see the Wizard of Oz. Her path takes her past fantastic places, and endears her to the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman, and the Lion along the way. Each receives his dearest wish after the long journey. " (licensed by Samuel French www.samuelfrench.com)
1996-1997:
Fall, 1996: It's a Wonderful Life by James W. Rogers
This year marked a transition for ZCSTC--the initial groups of drama folk had graduated last spring, and luckily for us, were followed by a large group of equally excited freshmen to keep it going! The fall play was an adaption of the classic film, and was the first time we used rolling wagon sets. At the climatic ending, George Bailey's (Jeremy Macy) brother Harry comes home. Waiting behind the room wagon, Harry (Ben Stoller Black) went to open the door, and pulled back instead of pushing forward to get it open. Doing so ripped the entire door out of the frame. With a shocked look, Ben apologized, handed the door to Mrs. Brant, and made his entrance while her fingers showed throughout the entire end scene!
"In our American culture It's a Wonderful Life has become almost as familiar as Dickens' A Christmas Carol. The story is a natural for a stage adaptation: the saga of George Bailey, the Everyman from the small town of Bedford Falls, whose dreams of escape and adventure have been quashed by family obligation and civic duty, whose guardian angel has to descent on Christmas Eve to save him from despair and to remind him�by showing him what the world would have been like had he never been born�that his has been, after all, a wonderful life. This faithful adaptation has all your favorite characters: George and Mary Hatch, Clarence, Uncle Billy, Violet, and, of course, the Scrooge-like villain, Mr. Potter. This fine dramatization not only celebrates the faith of the season, it also celebrates the American philosophy of life: hard work, fair play and the love and support of one's family and community will be rewarded." (licensed by Dramatic Publishing www.dramaticpublishing.com)
Spring, 1997: You Can't Take it With You by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart
Our second time through this classic--and everyone had just as much fun with it as the first time!
1997-1998:
Fall, 1997: Peter Pan in Neverland
This was our first real musical, directed by Mr. Dave Carlile and Mrs. Brant. It featured a really colorful set, and a lots of Lost Kids (we had lots of girls in that group too), and wonderful performances...notable Jeremy Macy as Captain Hook and Steven Schilperoort as Smee (singing a version of "I'm a Little Teapot"!), and Ben Stoller Black as the Crocodile (a big rubber suit we borrowed from CWU), Holly Porter as Tinkerbell and Matt Johnson as Peter, along with many others. This version did not require flying as it skipped the nursery scene at the beginning of the original story and went straight to Wendy and siblings arriving in Neverland and being discovered by the Lost Kids. (was from IE Clark Publishers--possibly unavailable at this time)
Winter, 1997: Charlotte's Web (Drama class) by Joseph Robinette
Trying a third play for the year was a new addition for the year. Mrs. Brant's Int/Adv. Drama class did Charlotte's Web as a term project--including making giant goose costumes, having a little pig named Wilbur be played by Alex DelaCruz--who was over 6 foot tall, and lots and lots of hay (the bales broke and hay was EVERYWHERE)!
"All the enchanting characters are here: Wilbur, the irresistible young pig who desperately wants to avoid the butcher; Fern, a girl who understands what animals say to each other; Templeton, the gluttonous rat who can occasionally be talked into a good deed; the Zuckerman family; the Arables; and, most of all, the extraordinary spider, Charlotte, who proves to be "a true friend and a good writer." Determined to save Wilbur, Charlotte begins her campaign with the "miracle" of her web in which she writes, "Some pig." It's the beginning of a victorious campaign which ultimately ends with the now-safe Wilbur doing what is most important to Charlotte." (licensed through Dramatic Publishing www.dramaticpublishing.com)
Spring, 1998: The Matchmaker by Thornton Wilder
This is a classic comedy, and it is the original script from which the musical Hello Dolly! comes. It featured our first trap door (Cornelius and Barnaby go down to the storage area in Vandergelder shop), and multiple scenes and turn of the century costumes.
"A certain old merchant of Yonkers is so rich in 1800 that he decides to take a wife. He employs a matchmaker a woman who subsequently becomes involved with two of his menial clerks, assorted young and lovely ladies, and the headwaiter at an expensive restaurant where this swift farce runs headlong into a hilarious complications. After everyone gets straightened out romantically and has his heart's desire, the merchant finds himself affianced to the astute matchmaker herself. He who was so shrewd in business is putty in the hands of Dolly Levi. He is fooled by apprentices in a series of hilarious hide and seek scenes, and finally has all his bluster explode in his face." (licensed through Samuel French www.samuelfrench.com)
1998-1999:
Fall, 1998: Tales of the Arabian Nights by Michael Bigelow Dixon
For this show we built the set as a giant magic carpet with The Sultan's palace room on stage right--a completely different design than we had tried before. Everyone loved their arabian "puffy pants" too! The entire cast remained on stage the whole play, sitting on pillows, listening to the tales and jumping in to act them out as they unfold. It covers the "Fisherman and the Bottle", "The Snake Charmer's Wife", "Ali Baba the Forty Thieves" and "Princess Ming and the Tiger" as Scheherazade helps the Sultan Shariar free himself from the spell of the scimitar. (licensed through Dramatic Publishing www.dramaticpublishing.com)
Spring, 1999: A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare (with alterations by Lynn Brant)
This was our first foray into Shakespeare, with this fantasy of four lovers and a troop of common tradesmen/wannabe actors that get lost in the woods--woods full of fairies and the mischievous Puck. Through all the mishaps and misplaced affections, Puck finally gets everyone back with the right person and they celebrate their unions at the Duke's palace with the hilarious tradesmen doing their best to put on a show! The set featured a giant willow tree and a real pond that got the girls wet when they did their catfight scene! After costume tryons included an attempt at putting boys in tights with their medieval costumes, Mrs. Brant vowed NEVER to do that again.
1999-2000:
During this time period, we performed our regular two plays, and Mrs. Brant's Adv. Drama classes did some pantomimes to choir medleys with the choir in various venues, like the Civic Center during a Back to School event sponsored by the city (Wiz of Oz), and during the music concerts at the Nazarene Church (Beauty and the Beast), and at the Yakima Mall (Aladdin).
Fall, 1999: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs:
from the Snow White Scrapbook Fall 1999
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs to Hit the Boards in November
Z Center Stage’s latest offering full of fun and a classic tale for all. Imagine one outcast girl with seven little men way out in the forest. Add in an incredibly vain stepmother, a failed love affair, and a murder plot, and you might have a summer blockbuster, right? Well, you will get all that excitement and a few laughs to top it off if you attend Zillah High School’s "Z Center Stage Theater Company production of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs November 12, 13, 18, 19 and 20 at 7:00 p.m. in the ZHS auditorium.
The tale is based directly from the original Brothers Grimm story. For those familiar with the Disney version of this classic tale, you will still find the lovable dwarfs, the innocent Snow White and the nasty and incredibly jealous Queen, but you will also enjoy the added depth given by a palace full of supporting characters and the hilarious Witch Hex and her life size cats in this script by Jessie Braham White. The story begins with introduction of a new maid of honor to the Princess Snow White (Heather Porter). As Astolaine (Christina Peterson) gets to know the other seven maids of honor, she is told the sad tale of the princess she serves by Rosalys (Sarah Dahlin). It seems that Queen Brangomar (Lissette Abel) has been so jealous of Snow White’s beauty since the King’s death that she has relegated the kind princess to kitchen duties. The maids decide Astolaine must meet Snow White and Amelotte (Taynea Simmons) runs off to get her. Soon after the princess’ arrival, the bumbling Sir Dandiprat Bombas (Jay Spurlock) announces the visit of Prince Florimond (Peter Sauerwein) to the castle. Snow White deeply wishes to see him since they have known each other since childhood, but is prevented by the Queen’s express order. The girls decide to disguise Snow White as one of them, allowing Snow White to take Astolaine’s place in the dance for the Prince. The trick works, and the Prince ends up falling in love with Snow White without knowing her true identity. After this is revealed to Queen Brangomar, she secretly manipulates her Chief Huntsman Berthold (Trevor Buechler) to take Snow White out into the deep forest and kill her, bringing her heart back as proof of the deed. Everyone in the palace is told the princess is being sent to boarding school for a year and a day.
Of course, Berthold cannot bring himself to carry out the plan and he returns to the castle bearing the heart of a wild boar. Snow White is led by a little bird to the safety of the house of the Seven Dwarfs, and she eats and rests there. When the Dwarfs return home, they discover Snow White and try everything to make sure she will stay with them, which she does. Meanwhile, Brangomar has visited Witch Hex (Tiffany Gorrebeeck), the source of the Queen’s eternal beauty. The Queen discovers that she has been given the wrong heart when the Witch’s Hair Restorer potion goes wrong, and with the help of the Witch, she is turned into an old Pedlar Woman in order to trick Snow White into taking a bite of the magic apple. The plan goes well and the Dwarfs return home to find that there is nothing they can do to save their princess.
All is not lost, however. When the Queen returns to the palace, it has been a year and a day and the Prince has come for Snow White’s hand in marriage. Just as she is telling the Prince the sad news of Snow White’s demise, both Berthold and the Dwarfs arrive to tell the truth. The Queen, in anger and jealousy, dashes the Magic Mirror to the ground, breaks the spell that has given her beauty and caused Snow White’s death, and brings about her own downfall, leaving the castle in great happiness as the revived Snow White is made Queen, all in good storybook fashion.
Other maids of honor include Emily Sevigny (Ermengarde), Guinivere (Sara Strader), Christabel (Corinne Fergus), Ursula (Annie Shephard), and Lynette (Katie Wheeler). The Dwarfs consist of Tim Phillips (Blick), Mark Keller (Flick), David Portteus (Glick), Andy Bale (Snick), Chris Jennings (Plick), Summer Mitchell (Whick), and Keith Effler as the dopey Quee. Also featured is Reinhard Wolfe, the ZHS foreign exchange student from Germany, in cameo roles as the Bird, the Magic Mirror and Lack Tail the cat.
Tickets go on sale October 25 and can be obtained by calling ZHS at 829-5565. General admission tickets are available at the door for $4.00 for adults, $3.00 for students, and $2.00 for children under 7. Reserved seating is available for $1.00 extra per person. Zillah High School Auditorium is located at 1602 2nd Avenue in Zillah.
If you are in for a night of family fun and the retelling of a classic story, be sure to mark your calendars for November 12, 13, 18, 19 and 20 and come and enjoy some quality, live theater!
The Pantomimes:
February, 2000: Beauty and the Beast
"Z" Center Stage
Theater Company
Beauty and the Beast Scrapbook
February 2000
Winter Concert to Feature Actors With "Beauty and the Beast" Choral Medley in February
An intrepid group of 14 actors will present choreographed scenes to go with the Zillah High School Honors Choir’s medley of songs from the Disney hit "Beauty and the Beast" on February 22 at the Church of the Nazarene in Zillah. The concert begins at 7 p.m. and is free of charge.
The medley begins with the song "Be Our Guest", combined with spirited servants giving their all to impress Belle. This is followed by the townspeople wondering about their slightly different, but beautiful neighbor in "Belle". In "Something There", Belle and the Beast begin to get to know each other, while across town, the bar room rings with the accolades to the muscular meany in "Gaston". Gaston convinces the townspeople to go after the Beast in "The Mob Song", and the medley is capped off with the beautiful "Beauty and the Beast", showing that true love wins out after all.
Providing characters and dance in this production are a great mix of students, some of whom have never before taken part in a stage production, and that wanted to try a smaller one.
So, for a little taste of this favorite story, don’t miss out on the Winter Concert February 22. You will also enjoy the great sounds of further Zillah High School Honors Choir songs, the Zillah Community Choir and their show-stopping Broadway medley from Fiddler on the Roof, the Zillah Community Jazz Band, and the award-winning Zillah High School Concert Band. It will definitely be a night to enjoy and remember for all.
CAST MEMBERS FOR "BEAUTY AND THE BEAST":
The Beast/The Prince………Keith Effler
Belle……………………………Tiffany Gorrebeeck
Lumiere……………………….Jay Spurlock
Gaston…………………………Chris Jennings
Mrs. Potts……………………..Summer Mitchell
LeFoo………………………….Tovah York
The buxom barmaids……….Chasity Wilson and Crystal Wilson
The Baker, etc……………….Peter Sauerwein
Waiters, townspeople, ensemble members
Lindsay Johnson
Amanda Gillian
Megan Creeley
Laura Farias
Annie Shephard
Shanalee Mitchell
Aladdin at the Mall: We performed the acting while the choir sang a medley of five tunes from Disney' Aladdin at the Yakima Mall by JC Penneys.
The Wizard of Oz Pantomime: We put together our own short and sweet version of The Wizard of Oz for an all city event in Stewart Park, performing on the west end of the Civic Center outside.
Spring, 2000: Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
Our first Broadway musical! This western story featured lots of quick changes (we had to build dressing rooms into the back of the set to accommodate all of them!), fun squaredancing and acrobatics, and a huge cast!
"Set in Oregon in 1850, SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS tells the story of Millie, a young bride living in the 1850's Oregon wilderness. Her plan to civilize and marry off her six rowdy brothers-in-law to ensure the success of her own marriage backfires when the brothers, in their enthusiasm, kidnap six women from a neighboring town to be their brides. Bursting with the rambunctious energy of the original film, SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS is all boisterous fun and romance that harkens back to the glory days of the movie musical." (licensed through Musical Theatre International (www.mtishows.com)
