As the lights dim and a spotlight appears, the audience turns their attention to the front of the auditorium. Everyone is silent, waiting. Sophomore Keara Dowd breathes deep and steps out from behind the curtain. The music begins to play—but wait, is this a track being played? It sounds like it’s right in front of the crowd.
Every year, Davie’s Performing Arts Department highlights the skilled yet different talents of Davie’s performers and technicians. From young rising stars to seniors preparing to join the final production in their high school career, the extensive cast and crew gave it their all this go around with their production of “The Little Mermaid.”
From May 8-11, community members and family and friends alike had the chance to be taken under the sea as Davie High’s largest production to date. A symphony of voices and a collective, coordinated group of dances melded expertly with the production’s live orchestra to display the rare mix of musical and artistic talent that can be found in our community.
One such performer—senior Cora Nicholson, Sebastian in this performance—has been part of the performing arts department throughout high school. As the curtain closed on the final day of the show, Nicholson found herself reminiscing about what it has meant to be a part of this team.
“On closing night, I was sobbing,” Nicholson said. “It was really sad. It’s weird knowing that next year, because this became such a habit, I won’t be with these people.”
Whether these students are belting out powerful melodies or harmonizing on a softer scale, Davie High’s chorus teacher, Brittany Darst, couldn’t be more proud of the pure talent all of these students exhibited in ‘The Little Mermaid.’
“Even though there were rocky moments, they learned through them, and this is how you drive a tempo forward,” Darst said. “But it went really well, everyone worked really hard.”
But these teachers aren’t the only ones proud of these students—theater teacher Chad Edwards says, “I was just really proud of the way the kids really stepped up and did a wonderful job.”
In the Pit
When the production wrapped up over the weekend and the curtains to the sea closed, one section in particular stood out on the blue-colored playbill—the live orchestra. Under the direction of Davie High’s band teacher Matthew Brusseau, in collaboration with chorus teacher Brittany Darst, members of the wind ensemble, as well as special guests—including English teacher Matt Barker playing bass—all created their own waves in making this production come to life right before the audience’s eyes.
But putting this orchestra together was no small feat. With tests, labs, quizzes, and homework, high school can be very busy for students, especially those in extracurricular activities, such as theater, band, clubs, or dance. However, senior Karson Yount has found a way to juggle all of this, along with the duties of playing saxophone in the musical’s orchestra.
“It’s really cool seeing all of our arts departments come together to do something special like this,” Yount said. “It takes a lot of skill, dedication, and practice, and it’s a very special moment that all has to be done with intricacy and detail.”
Another member of the ocean’s ensemble, freshman Gavin Holbrook, who played auxiliary percussion in the orchestra, says that “playing all of the auxiliary stuff meant that I had a lot of measures and rests to memorize, but it was very fun and overall, a great time.”
Though some members of the cast and crew expressed reservations about the orchestra after the first night of rehearsals, any fears were alleviated as opening night approached. Actors, including Nicholson, said that ultimately the addition of the orchestra only made the performance “more magical.”
Behind the Curtain
The set for “The Little Mermaid” was one of the largest that Davie has ever assembled, with many moving parts that required a large amount of coordination throughout the show. This aspect of the show was made possible by the students in the technical theater class who worked behind the scenes to keep the performance running smoothly. Technical theater requires a combination of artistic, technical, and dramatic skills, including a number of jobs for crew members: stage manager, production manager, rigging, lighting, sound, and technical director.
Fortunately for the students in the class, despite the extravagance of the set, the team was not starting from scratch. Earlier in the year, Forsyth Country Day held their own performance of “The Little Mermaid,” meaning that Edwards was able to coordinate the use of some of their existing materials and costumes for Davie’s performance. There is a great deal of effort involved in ensuring the technical side of the production goes smoothly, something Edwards highlights as more important than many may realize.
“Many people don’t realize the importance behind the scenes,” Edwards said. “They just see the production, they don’t see the true magic behind the curtains. People work hard to make the show magical.”
Curtain Call
If you’ve had the opportunity to attend a Davie High Performing Arts show, whether that be “The Little Mermaid” or any past productions, you should be able to attest to and confirm firsthand that the performances are nothing short of outstanding. Filled with talented students, experienced teachers, and committed directors, the shows never fail to impress, as they produce a professional-like experience for both cast and audience members alike.
You never know where the talent lies. Sometimes it’s hidden in plain sight, like in small Davie County. It’s time this talent is recognized beyond our school’s community. “I’m very lucky to have talented kids,” says Edwards.
Nicholson’s final message to her fellow cast and crew members stands as such: “Stay positive and love to do it, and remember that you love to do it.”
Abigail Webb contributed to the “Behind the Curtain” section of this article.
