Get set for a musical journey to the underworld as Lloydminster Comprehensive actors are getting set to bring the Broadway’s, Hadestown to the Vic Juba Community Theatre.
The young thespians got some vocal training from Lloydminster talent, Ron Long who is based in Edmonton.
Laura Tottenham, who plays the character Fate, is one of six people who harmonize to bring that character to life on the stage. Four sopranos play Fate number one along with Emily Davies and Laura who are mezzo-sopranos.
“We are using the original Broadway recordings to practise. We have got a choreographer. So, every day we work on singing, acting, and dancing.”
Laura adds with the talented cast, Lloydminster can look forward to an amazing production.
Emily Davies who is also learning the songs to play Fate shares about the hard work the students are putting in on a Saturday over a four-hour session.
“We did a lot of exercises to open up our throat and learn more about our tongue and how the various body parts move to create sound. We did a lot of breathing exercises, and I think we all benefitted from it.”
Emily says the cast improved their volume level and got into the roles more as the vocal exercises progressed.
Vocal coach, opera singer, and director, Ron Long, who is a Lloyd Comp graduate grew up singing in the Anglican Church in Lloydminster. His love for the stage grew out of doing little shows in the community. From his days at U of S to a Masters in the States, he has taught in Edmonton at Grant McEwan and the Conservatory. His teaching to the cast involved mainly breathing exercises.
“For a lot of them, it’s learning how to breathe into their backs. Kids at this time of their lives – their breathing is very shallow. I get them to sit in the chair and bend forward and feel the breath expand that way.”
His overall instructions delved into how the voice works.
“A little bit of knowledge is power.”
The young actors are busy working on set design and costumes as they get ready to stage the eight-time Tony Award-winning musical on Jan. 17-18 at the Vic Juba Community Theatre.
Tickets are available online.
