WCHS Musical Mattinee

Kudos to Mrs. Tori (Graff) Koehn and the cast of BYE BYE, BIRDIE for an incredibly great performance!!! Grandma, Neva Duncan, invited me to attend today's afternoon performance. Some other senior citizens, a few parents of the cast and students from Kindergarten through 8th grade all sat through the musical. The cast provided such top entertainment that even the little kids in the audience were quiet. How often does that happen???

These kids went above and beyond to showcase their musical and acting talents. I know that MANY hours were spent for practice after practice. It showed in the way that they knew their lines, songs, dance numbers. These kids really belted it out there for all to hear. Even people who normally have difficulty with their hearing mentioned how well they heard what the musicians had to say. I have to say that through the years, Wichita County has been able to boast of outstanding vocal and instrumental directors. Some of them put out excellent musicals. Tori and her BIRDIE cast have proven that they belong in the very top of the very best.

All of the students did an outstanding job. My daughters who were in the audience this afternoon asked me who my favorites were. I don't know where to start choosing my favs! Right off the bat, I was wowed by Moises Mora and Teneille Whitham. Then, along came Allison Miller, Joshua Mehl, Kayla Graff, Neil Fletcher, Peytan Phemister, Matthew Mastel, Parker Hassell... One of my very favorites was Javen Zellner. Her personality just bubbled all over the place!

Teneille and Moise just blew me away with how very confident they were. You would have thought that making acting look natural came as easily to them as breathing. And as for Joshua Mehl...He was just the perfect Birdie ever! His Uncle Steve Tasker was in my class. We were both enrolled in choir all four years of her high school career. Steve was chosen as major leads all four years. Everyone always remarked at how Steve had it all. He was an excellent football player, musician and actor. In case you are not familiar with Steve, he eventually made it to professional football. He played for the Houston Oilers and the Buffalo Bills. I am sure that Steve will be very proud of his nephew's performance!

Between the years of 1977 and 1980, I was in the vocal music class under the direction of Mr. James Stambaugh. He explained to all of us that it was vitally important for the extras on stage were just as important as the stars. He drilled it into all of us that we just had to make big movements in our physical actions, and show that we were having just as much fun doing our parts as the people in the lead positions. I have not always seen that in some of the musicals after his tenure in Leoti. Some of those musicals were filled with kids who basically just stood around and showed absolutely no personality. Not one single choir member had any problem with that today. That reminds me of Kayla Graff. She played the part of Mae, Albert's mother. Kayla played the part of an older woman fabulously! If you didn't know better, you would have thought that she was, in fact, a senior citizen with an amazing voice.

Bottom line, Folks. If you have extra time on your hands on Friday and Saturday evenings, make your way to this musical. You won't be disappointed!!! Each evening's performance begins at 7:00.

Stars include Moises Mora, Teneille Whitham, Allison Miller, Joshua Mehl, Javen Zellner, Kayla Graff, Peytan Phemister, Neil Fletcher, Matthew Mastel and Parker Hassell. The supporting cast that also performed superbly was Taylor Angeles, Clancy Masterson, Nicole Huber, Lauren Koops, Makenna Clark, Tyrelle Thurman, Tanner Hassell, Kassandra Baker, Zihily Sandoval, Destynee Hahn, Tyler Kiser, Jordan Fischer, Gabe Martinez, Karla Romero, Tyler Kiser, Morgann Perry, Rachael Weeks, Marissa Lobmeyer, Jesse West, McKaylin Burhoop, Liz Tankersley, Jessica Swearingen, Tina Turley, Jessica Swearingen, Tailer Bremer, Jessica Castro, Tracy Pfanenstiel, Tareena Hembree and Rachael Weeks.

Pam Rickford was the accompanist, Allen Brockmeier provided the percussion. Matt Price and Jason Koehn were in charge of the lights, sound, set design and construction. Jordan Fisher, Tyler Kiser, Mario Mancillas, Gabe Martinez, Justin Kiser, Rachael Busch and Sarah Ridder were the designated stage crew.

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