Mitchell High School students will reminisce about a time they weren’t even alive to experience: the 1980s.
MHS drama director Mel Olson said the students will perform “Back to the ’80s: The Totally Awesome Musical” at 7:30 p.m. Thursday and Saturday at the MHS auditorium. Tickets are $5 for adults or $3 for students; activity passes will grant free entrance.
The show, written by Neil Gooding, follows adult Corey Palmer (played by Gunner Miller) in the early 2000s, reminiscing about his time in high school in the 1980s. Olson said the audience will see Palmer’s life acted out as his younger self (played by Jake Louder), and hear several iconic ’80s hits. He said five or six students have choreographed the dance numbers for the show.
“The play is an excuse to dance to rollicking ’80s songs,” Olson said.
Olson said there are about 50 kids involved in the show, which also is directed by MHS vocal director Chris Miller, and Julie Van Gorp, who directs the pit band.
ADVERTISEMENT
Olson said the show typically would be on consecutive nights, but Friday is scheduled to be a football playoff game night, and because activities are planned out more than a year in advance, they tried to avoid any possible activity conflicts.
“We were hoping we would still be in the hunt,” Olson said of the football playoffs.
Cast list: Maddie Daley, Bailey Dent, Michael Doorn, Brady Farnham, Jaycie Foster, Sydnee Foster, Maria Glover, Madeline Graves, Nick Johnson, Abraham Kalovsky, Addy Kenkel, Taylor Krall, Cobe Lee, Jake Louder, Elizabeth Loveland, Chase McClure, Drew McDonald, Kayla McDonald, Kendal McMahon, Gunner Miller, Nadine Moore, Joe Morgan, Haley Nettinga, Tim Parks, Abigail Patton, Daniel Pecenka, Marian Ragels, Shelby Riggs, Haley Rust, Angie Schleich, Joanna Schleich, Macy Swanson, Autumn Urbigkit, Julie VanDriel, Reggie VanDriel, Madison VanWalleghen, Hanna Varilek and Connor Voeltz.
Pit Band: Adam Ortmeier, Gunner Miller, Kristina Luczak, Jasmine Fritzemeier, Sid Stemper, Neil Schlimgen and Brenden Leher.
Tech: Davis Cowins, Masey Lambert, Haley Smith, Johnna Jorgenson and Tatum Dean.
