Memphis State University - DeSoto Yearbook (Memphis, TN)

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WHOLE LOTTA SHAKIN ' GOING ON! They promised to do a whole lotta shakin ' , and they didn ' t let their audience down. The cast of Whole Lotta Shakin ' con- tinued to thrill Mud Island audiences last summer — its second in a row — with a few changes in the cast, composition, and choreography of the show. Shakin ' , the first musical highlighting Memphis ' music heritage, trimmed its original cast of 24 members, 12 men and 12 women, down to 20. Unlike its premier run, all cast members in the updated show had a Memphis connection. Artistic Dir- ector Keith Kennedy called the switch a tremendous help. These talented young people are key products of the culture the show is about, he said. He also said the change helped the cast ' s morale. According to Marcquinne Charles, dance director, a student at Memphis State ' s Law School, and an original cast member: The energy of the show is much different, much greater. People from Memphis in the cast now care about the show and have a good time with it. There ' s more support among cast members and from the administration. The beginning of the show was histor- ically accurate, but for the general public it wasn ' t entertaining in a showbiz kind of way, said the returning music director George Caldwell. It was shortened from 1 2 minutes to a four minute medley. Vocal click tracks, recordings of the songs, were made in a studio and played behind the singers to reinforce the sound during the show. This cleared up the sound problems, which detracted from the performances during the first run. Gloria Robinson, another veteran of the cast and student at Memphis State, said the show changed a whole lot! The biggest difference is the familiness of the cast. Everybody ' s enjoying what they ' re doing, she said. The biggest difference for Robinson, however, was her solo Gee Whiz, sung by Memphis State ' s Lori Brown in the original show. Robinson is a veteran of USO shows and has performed at Libertyland for two years. A surprise addition to the cast was 16- year-old Kirsten Kite. Special lines were written into the show to suit her youthful demeanor. Kite said her experiences among older cast members were different . You gotta adjust yourself so you can get along better, she said. But it ' s fun. 1 like it better than working with people my own age. She quickly added that the cast members tease her about her size. She also complained that her friends at school talked about the show all the time. I don ' t like to talk about it around them, she said. Teachers at Overton (High School) point out my mistakes all the time. When relatives come, my parents always show videotapes of me, and I go upstairs to watch television. Tim Shipman warms up for the grueling practice ahead as other cast members follow his lead. Sandy Beach leads a portion of the ensemble in a rousing rendition of Tutti Frutti. Student Life 29

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Amidst the frenzy of pre-performance preparations, Julie Myers hurriedly applies the finishing touches to her makeup. The effort cast members must take to pull together a professional production is shown by the expression on Victor Brown ' s face. Felicia Morgan and Steve Wilkerson concentrate on getting it just right. Photo by J. Scott Vanzindt - BmH ' ' Ml Bfl ■ ! W r d - ; j l H j h f J i 4 ■ Musical Director George Caldwell keeps an eagle eye on the performers as last Artistic Director Philip Giberson points out flaws in the day ' s rehearsal, minute details are coordinated. 28 ShakiiV

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...and the SHAKIN ' continued In the next five years, Kite plans to continue her showbiz training in Memphis State ' s commercial music program. Her previous experiences before Shakin ' in- cluded a performance at the Westinghouse Convention in Las Vegas and the lead in To Kill a Mockingbird at Playhouse on the Square. First timer Tim Shipman said the show was a great experience. It ' s a natural rush to hear people say ' Memphis is proud of you. Thanks for what you ' re doing. ' It ' s stretched me to my limits, he added. I ' m not that much of a dancer, and it made me sing higher than I thought I was capable of. What were the rewards of appearing in the cast? Shipman won a part in the chorus of Pirates of Penzance at Playhouse on the Square in the fall. He also got a steady job singing at Memphis Memories. He called the experience invaluable in more ways than one. It ' ll keep me working for the next year, he said. What are the future plans for the show? Kennedy said the show could possibly run in New York. All of that is only pipe dreams, he said, because it would cost about $1.5 million to do it. It ' s just now a healthy adolescent, but it has potential. — Jacqueline L. Jones Elvin Brown and partner show the crowd at the High School Hop what Rock n ' Roll is all about. i 1 IjC A I | i BH The Black Company sings of John the Revelator in the section of the show devoted to old time gospel. Photos by Phyliss Smith The White Company, led by Brenda Patterson, shows how people worshipped on Brenda Patterson, Kirsten Kite, and Mark Johnson portray a not so ideal showbiz the other side of town. family. 30 Shakin 1