Look for a 'Bright Star' with Tiger thespians next weekend

Texas High School students rehearse for their production of the musical "Bright Star." Student performers are using masks on stage to stay safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. (Photo courtesy of Lisa Newton)
Texas High School students rehearse for their production of the musical "Bright Star." Student performers are using masks on stage to stay safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. (Photo courtesy of Lisa Newton)

TEXARKANA, Texas - With a score by Steve Martin and Edie Brickell and young thespians ready for the challenge, Tiger Theatre Co. at Texas High School presents the musical "Bright Star" Jan. 29-31.

Live in-person performance times are 7 p.m. that Friday and Saturday, plus a 2 p.m. performance that Sunday at the Sullivan Performing Arts Center's John Thomas Theatre, 3941 Summerhill Road. A livestream of the 7 p.m. Saturday show will also be available via ttcths.booktix.com.

"Bright Star" explores the relationship between a literary editor and a soldier returning from World War II, inspiring the woman to look again at her past in this emotional tale.

Lisa Newton, the Texas High drama teacher and director of the Tiger Theatre Co., said many people may not know that comedian Martin is also a bluegrass banjo player. "The score is beautiful," she said, noting the musical went up against "Hamilton" in the Tony Awards.

Lately, "Bright Star" has received a revival at high school, college and community theaters because of that gorgeous music, Newton said, calling it storytelling at its finest.

"The story is set in the Appalachian mountains. It's based on a true story. It's not 100% that story, but it's based on it," Newton said.

She sees it as a story of redemption. "Or finding your way back to each other would be a better way to say it," Newton said. Many characters in the story must do that. Her actors have been working hard at the musical.

"We've spent a lot more time in vocals than we normally do because there's a lot of harmonies in this, and so we've spent a lot of time working on that," Newton said. Cate Rounds plays the lead, Alice, and Jacob Kaminsky plays plays her romantic lead, Jimmy.

"It's really about their relationship and what comes between them and how they find their way back to each other," Newton said, noting the audience will see scene changes on stage.

Two songs feature bluegrass musicians playing part of the songs, but more often they'll have an instrumental backing track. It's not a typical musical, but there's a lot there to enjoy, says the director.

"It has something for everybody. It has a beautiful love story. It has some great dancing. It has some really good vocalists," Newton said, noting one song has a Southern gospel feel to it.

Tiger Vision will record the livestream for Tiger Theatre Co. The cast and crew totals at least 50 students, Newton said.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, they're wearing masks during the performance and have experimented with the best mask to use, the director said. The audience will also be seated further than usual from the stage. Getting enough air to sing is a challenge with the masks.

"And the other one is they have to sell the entire show. They can't just rely on their facial expressions. They've got to have all the body language and the dynamics and the acting moments and the inflection of the voice to really sell the show," Newton said.

The troupe wore masks in a previous production, but with the singing this one may be more of a challenge.

"The kids have worked really hard and they're doing a great job," Newton said.

She's ready to bring live theater to the stage. They've had to figure out how to safely handle everything from makeup to rehearsals and the dressing room.

"But it's been so important for them to have this little sense of normalcy, even though we've had to make some changes in how we run things, for them to still have that consistency of rehearsal and that outlet for live performance," Newton said.

Audience members at the live performance must wear masks. Social distancing measures will be enforced.

(Tickets: $10 adult, $5 for students. Buy tickets for the live performance or streaming show at ttcths.booktix.com. More info: 903-794-3891, ext. 2408.)

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