School’s musicals keep Arlington jazzed

Published 10:59 pm Tuesday, November 17, 2009

ARLINGTON — Corralling the 100 high school students who make up the cast, choir, crew and pit orchestra of “Bye Bye Birdie” is a challenge for drama teacher Scott Moberly.

Directing big musical productions is also his passion.

“I look at how far some of these kids have come in this show and I am amazed,” Moberly said. “It’s the best part of my job.”

Moberly is anticipating another sellout run of Arlington High School’s fall musical, following the successes of last year’s production of “Peter Pan” and “South Pacific” the year before.

Set in the late 1950s, “Bye Bye Birdie” tells the story of Conrad Birdie, a rock ‘n’ roll icon who is about to be inducted into the Army. It’s a tale similar to the hysteria that surrounded Elvis Presley when he got his draft notice. Birdie’s agent and secretary cook up a publicity stunt to keep the money flowing while the singer is in the service. Kim MacAfee, a high school girl in Ohio, wins the agent’s contest and the chance to give Birdie his last kiss before he ships out.

This is Moberly’s fifth musical with the high school. A former English teacher, Moberly now teaches three drama classes, coaches the drama club, takes students to view professional theater, directs all the school productions and teaches two vocational stagecraft classes. In stagecraft, students learn to design and build sets, run the lighting and manage the important backstage work.

Former student James Richart, 18, is a graduate of Moberly’s stagecraft program, and the volunteer head of the fly crew for “Birdie.” He and his group of strong young men run the ropes that lift the sets, backdrops and curtains.

Now a student a Skagit Valley College in Mount Vernon, Richart also has paid backstage jobs at McIntyre Hall at the college at Byrnes Performing Arts Center at Arlington High School.

“Moberly’s stagecraft program is top notch,” Richart said. “And with such a great facility as Byrnes, it’s easier to teach kids what they’ll need to know as pros.”

The goal, Moberly said, is to get his stagecraft students internships with theaters in Seattle and prepare them to take the exam required to get professional union jobs.

“It’s huge to have this support from the school district,” Moberly said. “And it’s great to have this as an option for a vocational class for the kids.”

Moberly previously taught at Lakewood High School, and before that did a stint with the Seattle Repertory Theater in its finance department.

“That practical experience has paid off well here. I stick to my budgets,” Moberly said. “Seattle Rep is an example of a well-run theater. It’s always stuck in my mind — that’s how you do it.”

“Bye Bye Birdie” will cost about $23,000, a third of which goes to pay royalties and script and music rentals. Another chunk pays a stipend to the professionals who help design the set, lighting and costumes. Most of the rest of the money buys all the materials to make it happen.

“We have an incredible group of parents and volunteers and community service club members who want to see this program succeed,” Moberly said. “I’m very proud of what these students have brought to Arlington and they deserve a good audience.”

Arlington High School vice principal Faye Britt said the show is the talk of the town.

The annual musical is a showcase for all the arts programs at the school, she said, also praising the vocal and instrumental music and art teachers.

“This year’s musical is my favorite. We have a really good, huge cast,” Britt said. “Scott’s energy and enthusiasm is kind of contagious, and the kids follow him.”

Moberly casts his musicals in the spring so students with lead parts have the summer to start learning their lines and their solos.

“Then, boom, rehearsals begin the first day of school and we’re dead serious,” said senior Danika Drake.

Danika, 17, plays Mrs. MacAfee, the June Cleaverlike character in the musical. She plans to attend Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle next school year to study theater.

A four-year drama veteran of Moberly’s drama program, Danika got involved as a freshman, as did most of her friends.

“Moberly pushes us to do the very best we can. We’re a tight-knit group, but unlike the kids on (the Fox TV show) ‘Glee,’ we’re not trashed at school,” Danika said. “Theater is now a thing in Arlington.”

Gale Fiege: 425-339-3427; gfiege@heraldnet.com.

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