E J Cooper High School - Talons Yearbook (New Hope, MN)

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A Look Behind the Scenes After a performance, the audience usually leaves pleased after seeing a good show. If they know about all the hard work involved, their appreciation is doubled. Cast and crews spent months preparing for this year’s production of The Boyfriend. Crews included set construction, lights, make-up. publicity, costumes, and props. As opening night drew closer, rehearsals involved intense work in perfecting music, blocking, choreography and delivery. Cast members worked under Gretchen Heath and Dan Drcsscn, who also conducted the orchestra. Carol Kilcullcn-Soltis worked as Direction Assistant: Lisa Gustafson and Wendy Reid were Student Directors. The musical included many complicated dance numbers. These were choreographed by Anne Marie Gillen. Anne Marie spent many hours teaching cast members steps and timing. Dance was not the only aspect that had to be fit to the time period. Mr. and Mrs. Marccll designed and sewed costumes to suit the era. Caryl Buggc, House Supervisor, arranged all ticket sales with the assistance of House Manager. Ann Lish. They also arranged for a staff alumni meeting and performance for the elderly. “Techies worked after school and weekends, even up to the last minute, on set construction. Sets were designed by Jeff Phillips and construction was completed under the direction of Sandra Kanc-Laidlaw. During the final week, dedicated members of the Tech Crew stayed after school, sometimes even until midnight, to finish the set. Devoted people arc involved in any production. The applause at the end of a show arc for the people behind the scenes as well as for the people on the stage.

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' i ABOVE: Loren Saw at sky, John Elsen and Mike Dols discuss the next act. RIGHT: tVina Mortensen transforms herself into Madame Dubonnet. 24 Pea lure

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Bus Stop A romantic comedy. Bus Stop, was chosen as this year’s winter play. The show, consisting of four seniors, one junior and three sophomores, brought several new performers to the Cooper stage. The scene is a roadside diner in Kansas City during the middle of a howling snowstorm. Since all roads are blocked, the travelers arc forced to stay for the night. A young nightclub singer (Anne Boyle) has been carried off by a cowboy (John Elsen) with a ranch of his own, and this becomes the main romance of the story. As a counterpoint to the main romance, the proprietor of the cafe (Anne Crampton) and the bus driver (Frank Goodrich) develop a friendship of their own. A middle-aged scholar (Mike Smith) comes to terms with himself during his stay, and a young waitress at the cafe (Laura Kingsbury) gets her first taste of romance. 26 —Winter Play