Udall is a seventh-grader and new to the stage.
“This is my first musical,” said Udall, 13. “I haven’t done anything like this before. When I got a callback for Millie after tryouts, I thought, ‘Whoa, what is this?’ I’m pretty nervous. I don’t have stage fright yet, but I guess I’ll find out. It’s fun and exciting to try something new.”
Lewber is an eighth-grader and has trod the boards before. She’s been cast in three shows at Town Hall Theatre in Centerville, including “Bridge to Terabithia,” “101 Dalmatians” and “The Aristocats.” She’s played Grandma Josephine in last year’s junior high school show choir’s production of “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.”
“I like that my character has a bunch of solos to sing,” Lewber said. “My favorites are ‘Gimmie, Gimmie,’ and ‘Jimmy.’ And I like New York City, ’cause it’s kind of fun and I’ve been there a lot.”
In the musical, Millie Dillmount works at Trevor Graydon III’s office and dreams of becoming his wife, until Jimmy Smith enters her life. Drew Martin plays Graydon, and Cullen Quigley has been cast as Smith. Quigley played the lead role of Willy in last year’s Willy Wonka musical at Springboro, and also played Linus in “A Charlie Brown Christmas Story” as a Springboro third-grader.
“This is a fun part; Jimmy Smith is a big flirt,” said Quigley, 13, an eighth-grader. “It’s kind of funny having this love story with a girl. But it’s a fun show and I’m really excited to be a part of it.”
Other cast members include Madison Wilson as Mrs. Meers, Ben Rector as Ching Ho, Matthew Perkins as Bun Foo and Harper Kohls as Dorothy Brown. Playing the Priscilla girls are Alexandra Daigle, Becca Harris, Ashley Losher, Haley Deckman and Sydney Harmon.
There are a total of 31 seventh- and eighth-grade thespians in this adaptation created by Richard Morris and Dick Scanlan. It is directed by vocal music teacher Chris Wylie and Karen Koslow.
“This show is a favorite of mine due to some of the most memorable music,” said Wylie. “It’s special to see these budding actors and actresses become their character on the stage and carry it into the music.”
Contact this columnist at (937) 748-3487 or pamdillon@woh.rr.com.