FHS production of ‘Seven Brides for Seven Brothers’ opens Thursday
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Farmington High School senior Eli Hallock and junior Sophie Yilmaz rehearse their lines during dress rehearsal for “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.” The production opens Thursday. Submitted photo
Kala Loughary thought Claire Naes was joking when she suggested the title for the high school’s next theatrical production.
“When Claire suggested ‘Seven Brides for Seven Brothers,’ I thought she was teasing,” said Loughary. “It’s a daunting show, but I soon realized she was serious. I knew if she said we could do it, it was true.”
“Seven Brides for Seven Brothers” is a well-known story. It’s based on the short story “The Sobbin’ Women” by Stephen Vincent Benet. The story was a popular movie in the 1960s and later turned into a TV show in the 1980s, musical and more.
The synopsis of the story is that of seven rowdy mountain men who go “hunting” for wives. Through some comical mishaps, the brothers kidnap the wives instead of actually courting them.
“This is a fun show and a favorite for many people,” said Loughary.
Opening night for “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers” is Thursday.
The show, about two hours in length, will be performed nightly at 7 p.m. beginning March 21 and continuing through the 24th at Truman Auditorium. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. General admission is $7, and tickets may be purchased at the door.
About 50 Farmington High School students make up the cast and crew. The group started rehearsing for this musical in January.
In addition to the students, Loughary has a terrific team of adults who helps her accomplish putting on such a large production.
Naes is choir director for Farmington High School and also serves as director and pit leader for the school’s musicals.
“I’m truly grateful for Claire,” said Loughary, “because she’s such an essential part of our team.”
Loughary said she’s also grateful for Co-Director Kaity Conaway and Choreographer Janna Haggerty.
“These ladies are all exceptionally talented and a blast to be around,” she said. “I’m so grateful for each of them.”
Conaway has been a teacher for three years. She teaches eighth-grade reading at Farmington Middle School.
According to Loughary, the “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers” set was somewhat of a challenge to create.
“The script calls for one scene to have a second-story bedroom and a tree that an actor can climb into,” she said. “It was interesting to figure out how to make that work safely. I dreamed up a design and fortunately, a wonderful crew of students and their families helped make that happen.”
She added that the set now includes a cabin that rotates to show both the interior and exterior.
Putting on a production of this magnitude sometimes creates additional challenges and stress. Loughary shared a funny incident which turned out to be a misunderstanding on her part.
“Well, the students won’t let me get over the fact that I kinda got super offended and yelled at them for being rude when I thought one of them called the set ‘whack,’” she explained. “Apparently, I misunderstood, and the student did not in fact insult the set. But now they all go around mimicking me with the phrase ‘How DARE you call my set whack?!’ I even heard a rumor that they are making shirts. To be fair, the set is farm from ‘whack.’”
Loughary said this past week has been especially difficult, with the flu affecting many cast members. Despite a number of challenges, the fruition of all of the team’s hard work will soon be evident when the cast takes the stage.
“As soon as the lights come up and I get to watch an audience see my students do what they love, I know I’ll be back,” she said. “The job isn’t easy, but it is rewarding.”
Loughary and her team of directors have been working hard on this show since June. They had to acquire set licenses, break down the script, create schedules, hold auditions, design and build the set, and find and make the costumes and props. Naes broke down all the music and found the members of the pit band. Haggerty created the dances and plans for who would be in which numbers.
For this show, Loughary made a majority of the costumes.
“The students thought I had lost my mind,” she said. “We had roughly 10 weeks of rehearsals. We aren’t home until 7 or 8 on normal days. We spend our weekends building the set. During the week of the show, I don’t leave before 11 p.m.”
Loughary is especially excited to see the “Challenge Dance and fight.”
“It’s just so good and they have worked extremely hard,” she said.
Regardless of which production FHS students are completing at the time, Loughary said she’s always excited about the same thing: watching the students grow.
“The best part about any of our productions is watching the students discover things they didn’t know they could do,” she said.
Loughary expressed her sincere appreciation to her team of directors, cast and crew, and the parents who have helped to make this production possible.
Sophie Yilmaz, a junior at FHS, is performing the role of Milly Brandon. Yilmaz has been part of numerous productions both in and outside of FHS including “The Addams Family,” “Beautiful: The Carol King Musical,” the opera “Turn of the Screw,” “Clue,” “Romeo and Juliet: A Turn of Askew,” and “Twelve Andry Jurors.”
Yilmaz said she’s enjoyed being part of “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers” and especially loves “getting to flip a table.” But she’s especially excited for the cast to see the newest members to theatre who have never been in a show before to “see the seats full of people who have come to watch them. It’s such a memorable moment.”
FHS senior Eli Hallock plays Adam Pontipee. He has been in five other musicals including “Shrek,” “Music Man,” “Seussical,” “Beauty and the Beast” and “The Little Mermaid.”
He said many cast members think rehearsals are the worst part of being in a musical, but he thinks practices are fun. He’s also looking forward to visiting with people after the performances each evening.
Farmington High School senior Eli Hallock and junior Sophie Yilmaz rehearse their lines during dress rehearsal for “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.” The production opens Thursday. Submitted photo
The cast for “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers” includes Kala Loughary, director; Kaity Conaway, co-director; Claire Naes, vocal director and band leader; Janna Hagerty, Jersey Hagerty and Macey Vandiver, choreography; Sophie Yilmaz, Milly Brandon; Eli Hallock, Adam Pontipee; Toly McFarland, Benjamin Pontipee; Christian Rastorfer, Caleb Pontipee; Ethan Kerr, Danie Pontipee; Kyle Mills, Ephraim Pontipee; Andrew Russell, Frank; Henry Swinarski, Gideon Pontipee; Cheyenne Strohkirch, Dorcas; Reese Beckett, Ruth; Lainie Moran, Martha; Scarlette McCoy, Liza; Ayla Gruhala, Sara; Mercedes Parker, Alice; Pamela Marler, Mrs. Sander; Brooker Ladd, Mrs. Hoallum; Brandon Arena, Mrs. Hoallum; Skyler Borders, Mrs. Sander; James Conaway, Preacher; Lillian Abel, Preacher’s Wife; Hayden Melton, Luke; Alton Medlin, Joel; Ryker Jones, Matt; Jimmy Martin, Jeb; Trevor Schrage, Nathan; Charles Warren, Zeke; and Rian Crabdree, Emma Anderson, Anthony Arena, Frankie Hendrix, Finnly Blue, Addison Bloom, Rocky Killian, Jax Sludder, Emery Mays-Nielson, Katherine Lucille Loughary, Declan Hughes, Hailey Branscum, Jazzy Nutter and Kya Gruhala, townspeople.
The crew includes Finley Blue and Rian Crabdree, stage management; Finley Blue, props manager; Ayla Gruhala, Kya Gruhala and Kaity Conaway, props; Brandon Arena, running crew head; Faye Serviss, running crew; Ayla Gruhala, Hayden Melton, Alex Cummings, Jaylyn Becerra, Allie Becerra, Kya Gruhala, set construction; Aubrey Hand, makeup head; Kaily Denoyer, makeup; Kala Loughary, Breanna White and Kayla Clubb, costume design/construction; Breanna White, wardrobe supervisor; Rian Crabdree and various cast members, child wranglers; Alex Cummings, light board; and Jolene Emily and Emmalee Dace, spot.
The FHS Theatre Guild will host its first Thespian Honors Show in October. This event showcases only seniors who have been awarded Thespian Honors. They will perform Neil Simon’s “Barefoot in the Park.”
Then in November, the theater students will have a week of one-act plays so underclassmen and those who may be new to theater may still have opportunities on stage. Kaity Conaway will direct the high school one-act plays and 2024 FHS senior Andrew Russell will direct the middle school one-act plays event.
Pam Clifton is a contributing writer for the Daily Journal.
