The theatre department as well as Pauper Players have primarily provided the Furman community with music, acting, and dancing combined into one show, but for the first time in a long time the music department will be putting on a spring musical, showcasing the musical as well as theatrical abilities that Furman students possess.
Brigadoon is a show which encapsulates the love story of a young boy and girl who meet at very different points in their lives and struggle to decide whether or not their love is worth changing their whole lives.
The story begins with two men from New York who happily travel to Scotland to enjoy a nice holiday. They come across the town of Brigadoon but are perplexed because this is not your average town. Brigadoon is a magical place that only appears once every hundred years. Once the townspeople turn in for the night, they sleep for one hundred years only to wake and experience one more day. This seems to cause a dilemma for our two gentlemen when Tommy, played by Bryce McClendon, falls in love with Fiona, played by Katy Wilson. Tommy is left with one day to decide whether he should stay with the woman he loves and risk missing one hundred years or to return to his life in New York. Audiences will enjoy the words and music to the popular tune “Almost Like Being in Love.”
Under the instruction of recently added Furman professor Dr. Grant Knox, an instructor who specializes in musical theatre, the music department has been able to prepare for their upcoming premier. Playing Fiona, the lead, is Furman vocal performance major Katy Wilson. Wilson has been singing since she was six and came to Furman with the intention of pursuing vocal performance with Professor Tamara Matthews.
Wilson said that she “loved getting to know Knox and work with the orchestra.” She also said that the show was “cute, fun, and catchy.” With the new music theatre position, the focus has been to both introduce people to as well as involve them in theatre and opera. The need to stay connected and relevant has been the main goal throughout the process.
The show will not only incorporate singing and acting but dancing as well. This has led to more in-depth rehearsals and has required music students to stretch their time and commitments. The leads have devoted time to work with Knox individually in order to develop their characters even more. In order for a show of this size to be put on the music department has received assistance from the Greenville community as well as received sets from the Asheville Lyric Opera.
Students are encouraged to come out to see the premier of the show April 24 and 26 at 7 p.m. Tickets are available ahead of time as well as at the box office the day of the event. Wilson states, “Everyone should come, they’ll be surprised at how much they like it; besides, the guys are all wearing kilts.”