Williamston High School theater wraps up first in-person performances since pandemic

The Williamston High School theater program performed its rendition of “Singin’ in the Rain” on Friday, Saturday and Sunday in the McGoff Performing Arts center. The show, directed by Lindsay Campbell, was the program’s first production since 2019, said Campbell.

“For me, it was a bit of remembering and relearning how to do all of the bits and pieces of a musical, but for the kids on stage, for most of them, it was their first high school show or first musical, period,” Campbell said.

“There was a lot of new learning and a lot of growth right off the bat but it was just a blast from the beginning to the end. It was a lot of fun,” said Campbell.

“This is the youngest cast that we’ve had,” said music director Jonny Ellis. “It’s just been this great thing to see these kids that nine weeks ago didn’t have any sense of timing or poise or performance now up on the stage and nailing it. It’s just wonderful.”

Ellis said usually at least half of the students he works with would have had prior experience in the band. “This year only two of the kids have done a pit before so this is a very new experience for them, and this is professional-level material. This is what they played on Broadway.”

Ellis has done 15 musicals with the high school, but this was his first experience doing “Singin’ in the Rain.”

“I was nervous when Ms. Lindsay Campbell picked the play, I said ‘What? Do we have Gene Kelly-type?’ and she said ‘Well, I think we might.’ That kid Kyle, he’s just amazing,” said Ellis.

“It was tough but it was a lot of fun, I had a great time,” said student Kyle Poyma, who played Don Lockwood.

“This is his first year in a musical, isn’t that crazy? This is his first year — it’s insane,” said Skyler Shasteen, who played Cosmo Brown alongside Poyma.

“The process of doing musicals, getting everything together and seeing everything go from people getting roles and getting told what to do to seeing people really take what they’ve been given and run with it, sprint with it,” said Shasteen.

Performances wrapped up Sunday with a matinee show. To view the production trailer, click here.

To view the school district’s coverage of the play, click here.