The spring musical for the 2012-2013 year has come and gone, and this year it incorporated a unique twist. Shout! is an a capella musical – the singers performed without any instrumental accompaniment.
It was written by Lindsay Price and Kristin Gauthier and directed by Christine Smith, the vocal music teacher here at JHS. In total, 22 students were involved in the production.
Shout! follows the trials and tribulations of five high school students. Arianne is angry and brooding and has to learn to let go of her sister in California. Kate is seemingly happy, but she is torn by internal turmoil. Dana chafes under the repressive supervision of her overbearing mother. Jack and Tassi are pushed into a relationship by their would-be matchmaker friends. As the play progresses, we learn about the lives of these characters and begin to sympathize with their personal struggles.
The most impressive aspect of Shout! is the fact that all the songs are sung a capella. The actors and actresses from JHS did a fantastic job of singing what must have been very daunting musical numbers. Notable solos included “My Brother Andy” sung by Junior Anna Ferguson, and “Seventeen,” featuring senior Jordin Wyatt. Also deserving of note are the Buzzy Bees, a barbershop quintet that provided comic relief in between the musical’s more poignant moments.
“The show was very well executed and got very good reviews from theater participants from other schools,” says Junior Molly McGiles, who played the part of Mel.