Local high school to take audiences to 'Oklahoma!'

Sixty students took to the stage at Bloomington High School South last weekend, telling the story of "Oklahoma!" through a rendition of songs accompanied by 11 members in the orchestra pit. \nThe Sounds of South choir, which has been directed by Gwen Witten Upchurch for the past 20 years, sang the stories of frontier life and love to an audience of 925. For the first time, Upchurch and her assistant, Chris Miller, picked Rodgers and Hammerstein's "Oklahoma!" for the fall performance. The musical is chosen one year in advance, and the show is then cast in May of the preceding school year.\n"We try to find the perfect role for current students," Upchurch said.\nCast members began rehearsing in July and worked on the show's material during class. \nBHSS senior Evan VanDoren played Will, a lovable, naïve character who travels to Kansas City to earn enough money so he can ask his love interest to marry him upon his arrival back home. VanDoren did not have to audition for the part because he has been in the choir since his freshman year. Since VanDoren is a senior, he was automatically in the annual musical, but the director discussed the roles with all her students before assigning parts. \nVanDoren, who also plays piano and trumpet, said he sees himself as a music director.\n"I like becoming another person -- it's an escape," VanDoren said of his character.\nBHSS senior Jocelyn Goodmon played Ado Annie, Will's love interest. Goodmon said she saw her character as ditzy, fun and boy crazy -- as she sings in her solo "I Cain't Say No."\nGoodmon wanted to play this character because it was different from her past roles, which include Cinderella. This particular role gave her the opportunity to be funny. She auditioned for the choir when she began high school because she knew the group did musicals and musical theater is the career path she hopes to take in the future.\n"My strongest motivation is loving to do this -- singing is one of my passions," Goodmon said.\nUpchurch said her students are highly motivated and they are not like a regular high school theater group. As an educator and singer, she passes her training onto her students. \nUpchurch graduated with honors from the University of Louisville with a bachelor's degree in music education and vocal performance. She then completed her master's degree in music at IU and also finished 80 doctoral hours in vocal performance. \n"The students are able to reach a higher level as an ensemble because we meet everyday and work on the music," Upchurch said.\nThe last performance of "Oklahoma!" is 8 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are still on sale at the IU Auditorium. Reserved seats cost $9 and the other seats costing $7 and $5. While at the show, the audience should keep in mind that the musical is double cast to allow an equal opportunity for all students to share the musical's roles. \n"The actors show a lot of heart and the music is wonderful," said audience member Joe Lueken.\n-- Contact staff writer Lyndsay Gilman at lkgilman@indiana.edu.