Curtain Call
By JOHN ESTUS Satellite Correspondent 2/1/2002
Student cast members of Tulsa Onstage's production of "Curtain Going Up" are (clockwise from left) Laura Rongey, Vanessa Allen, Allen Belsky, Josh Wann, Dee Dee Beard, Bryan Meador and Elizabeth Hunt. HEATHER COPSEY / Satellite Correspondent
Youth Onstage draws students to the spotlight
Plenty of youth theater productions occur every day. Ask any young actor or actress and they will speak of the tightly wound bond that evolves within a theater cast.
Many Tulsa youths participate in the large selection of stage opportunities in town. Yet, only in a rare circumstance will one entity of actors share the stage over a steady course of time.
In Tulsa, this circumstance is dubbed Youth Onstage.
The group formed about a year ago following a mass departure from another young theater group. Representing the group is Morgan Powell, 55, president of Youth Onstage. The group is totally independent and not affiliated with any organizations.
Powell, a fulltime attorney, devotes large chunks of his free time to the program. An avid theater lover, Powell feels it his calling to help young people who want to be involved in the field.
"Our latest effort is 'Curtain Going up.' It's a comedy," said Powell, with the obvious eloquence of an actor.
"Curtain Going Up" is the fifth production of Youth Onstage. The play is the first to be directed under the attentive eye of director Rick Hildebrand. Hildebrand previously served as drama director at Broken Arrow North Intermediate High School.
The group of actors and actresses range from as young as middle school students to high school seniors. The diverse age bracket presents unique opportunities for the productions of Youth Onstage. The age difference also adds great personality to the work.
"The greatest thing about the age group is watching them take over the play and make it theirs," Powell said.
Jenks High School junior Dee Dee Beard, a member of Youth Onstage and actress in "Curtain Going Up," has enjoyed the rare opportunity to work with the diverse age group. Beard is one of the older members of the cast, allowing her to realize the virtues of working with younger actors.
"It is a very good experience to work with all ages," she said. "They can all build experience."
While some of the actors have been with Youth Onstage for an extended period of time, Washington High School junior Allen Belsky is acting in his first production. Belsky has shown the commitment to earn one of the lead roles in the play.
His inexperience has been a struggle, but the cast has shown plenty of support for him.
"I don't have the studying techniques," Belsky said, referring to the tedious task of learning his lines. Yet once Belsky learned his character's traits, he found himself experiencing a new feeling.
"I play a character I don't like. But spending time outside of yourself, stepping into someone else, is great," he said.
In addition to the vast age range, Youth Onstage members represent every corner of Tulsa.
"We literally have kids from the north, south, east and west," said Powell. "That really adds diversity to the group."
The play carries historical humor along with intricately woven sarcasm in the script. Hildebrand makes a special point to challenge his cast to pay attention to the details of the script during rehearsals.
"That's one line you cannot change around. Later in the play, you will see the humor in it," Hildebrand said as he corrected a young actor's paraphrasing of his lines. The cast and crew of "Curtain Going Up," participated in many rehearsals, some in the form of dress rehearsals.
"The costumes are so great and they play a huge role. We've got your typical Southern dame and Civil War soldiers," explained Powell. Many of the costumes are authentic Civil War-era attire. The play, set in the 1950s, tells the comical story of a first-year drama director struggling to arrange a production set in the Civil War era.
"Everything that can possibly go wrong goes wrong," Beard said. "It's a play within a play."
Beard has been involved with Youth Onstage since the program's inception. Seeing familiar faces and working on a production with old friends has been a joy for the cast.
"Getting to know everyone, again, has been great," Beard said. However, as with any extra-curricular activity, juggling time has been a challenge for the cast, especially with an average rehearsal time of five hours.
"Those of us with other activities have a tough time," Beard said. Through all the distractions and struggles, Youth Onstage promises "Curtain Going Up" will be a success. Belsky noticed the commitment of the cast from day one.
He believes the enthusiasm and hard work will combine for a great evening of theater.
"All the kids really care about it," he said.
The Nightingale Theater will play host to the Youth Onstage production of "Curtain Going Up," running Friday at 7 p.m., Saturday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. The Nightingale Theater is located at 1416 E. Fourth St.
John Estus is a senior at Bishop Kelley High School. He can be reached at 581-8336 or via e-mail at satellite@tulsaworld.com.