Students show their spots and stripes in musical
Animals talk, with a little help from magic dust, and have something to say to us, in a new medieval fantasy musical.
“Spots and Stripes,” a family-friendly musical, premiered Thursday in the auditorium of Norman’s Longfellow Middle School, 215 N Ponca Ave.
It will also be performed at 2 and 7 p.m. Saturday by the Namron (Norman spelled backward) Players.
It was written by Gregg Standridge, Brian Eads, and Becky Feldman-Standridge.
The “musical about prejudice and survival” began with a “chance encounter” of two children in a forest “In-Between” Spots Burgh and Stripe Haven. Playing this scene with wonderful sweetness and naivete were fifth grader Zenon Hendrix as Eathan and third grader Madilyn Kellam as Ava.
When he gives her his spotted coat (because she’s cold), and she gives him her striped hat — like a pint-sized Romeo and Juliet — it almost has dire consequences.
But results were at first more comic than tragic, with Charley Reeves as the stripe king and Pat Merrick as the spot king, struggling to recall who their champions are.
Following their hilarious “Go Fetch Sir What’s His Name” (so they won’t have to fight themselves) number, the champions were eventually found.
Hannah Eppling brought an exaggerated, Amazonian, “itching for a fight” quality to the stripe champion, Sir Brennan.
Supplying comic counterpoint as the ones left behind “Who Do the Chores” were Alex Buchanan as Agnes, and Hannah Kinsey as Ingrid.
Tall and just woebegone enough, Dan Pechacek was spot-on as the spot champion, Sir Oscar.
Singing that “I Have Waited My Whole Life” to be champion, Pechacek makes us wonder, without overdoing it, if all the endless training was worth it.
Interacting with both champions beautifully, and warning them not to harm the legendary silver oak, was Catherine Etter, as a blue-clad, dust scattering, talking bird.
But it was all the animals who had perhaps the most resounding number, asking themselves “What’s The Matter With Humans?”
Leading them was John Covaleskie, who managed to be both comic and heroic, as Leo (the lion), in a crazy costume with a flame-like mane.
Soon taking center stage again were human members of the company, however, disobeying their royal leaders, in “By Order Of Your King!”
Moving, too, were duets in which the champions bonded to save the silver oak, “I Guess You’re A Lot Like Me,” and “My Hands Were Not Made To Hold This Sword.”
Ending things on a high note, was “Our Land,” an anthem in which both sides seemed to recognize that everyone thinks their land, country or city is the greatest.
Directed and choreographed by Kassie Carroll, with excellent costumes by Amy Kercher, and rousing music by a band led by Mervin Tay, the musical is highly recommended.
Tickets are $10 per person. Call 408-5090, or go to the website at www.spotsandstripesmusical@gmail.com for information.
— John Brandenburg,
for The Oklahoman