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Episode 226: Riverton High Students Making Magic in Musical Dance Theater
They are a talented group of students making magic happen in musical dance theater. On this episode of the Supercast, we head to Riverton High School where teacher Clin Eaton has been producing amazing performances with students singing and dancing their hearts out for more than three decades.
This time students are taking the stage in a production called “One of These Nights, a Broadway Review” and we got a front row seat to see how rehearsals are going.
Audio Transcription
[Music] [Bell rings]
Anthony Godfrey:
Hello and welcome to the Supercast. I'm your host, Superintendent Anthony Godfrey. They are a talented group of students making magic happen in musical dance theater.
On this episode of the Supercast, we head to Riverton High School, where teacher Clin Eaton has been producing amazing performances with students singing and dancing their hearts out for more than three decades. This time, students are taking the stage in a production called "One of These Nights, a Broadway Review," and we have a front row seat to see how rehearsals are going.
[Music]
We're talking now with Clin Eaton, theater teacher of many years at Riverton High School. Thank you for taking the time to make these students available and to let me see this rehearsal.
Clin Eaton:
You bet. It's good practice for them to perform in front of other people than me.
Anthony Godfrey:
Tell me a little bit about your career. How long have you been at Riverton? Have you been here since it opened?
Clin Eaton:
I've been here since it opened. My very first day of student teaching, I was assigned at BYU to be here, and my first day was the very first day the doors opened of this building. I was new just like every single other person here was. I was assigned to be with the fantastic Shawnda Moss, and Dave Stoddard was our principal, and he was my middle school science teacher. He remembered me, so he was thrilled to have a Joel P. Jensen alumni, because I am a West Jordan alumni. I had a great high school theater experience, and so I student taught here and was basically thrown in the deep end with the musical and Shakespeare competition and all of that. I was hired to teach with Shawnda right after my student teaching experience. I feel like I've been here from the beginning.
Anthony Godfrey:
You are the Riverton Theater common thread right from the start.
Clin Eaton:
Yes, and we've always had two teachers here, and they've all been fantastic colleagues.
Anthony Godfrey:
It sounds like a great start to a career. You come into a school where you know the principal from years ago, you have great support, and everybody's new.
Clin Eaton:
I was offered American Fork the same day, but it was no question to choose Riverton.
Anthony Godfrey:
I'm very glad that you made that choice. A lot of Jordan District students have benefited from that. I've known you for a long time, and this is a long time coming to get to talk with you for the podcast. Tell me about this Broadway review that the kids have been preparing. It was really exciting to see that rehearsal. How are the songs chosen, and what does this mean to you and the kids?
Clin Eaton:
I started the class in 2005 when I realized that we just had in our community, we had a lot of kids that what are considered in the industry triple threats. They were singer, dancers, and actors, and I wanted to do a class that focused on that and have it be an audition class.
The first year, I think I took everyone that auditioned, because it was just a new class, and we had some very green performers and we had some really seasoned performers. But the one thing that I decided that we needed to start with was solo singing. To get them comfortable standing up by themselves, because in the history of musical theater, you always have to be able to stand up and sing by yourself to get a role.
With these students that we started, we did all these solos, and I'm like, "Okay, I think this kind of lends itself to a review, and that will be our end-of-semester goal." So first semester, we will work on a whole bunch of different styles, because if you look at Broadway today, you have jukebox musicals with a Michael Jackson musical where you need to be able to basically be a pop rock singer. You have a musical like Six, where you need to be able to sing like Beyonce or Mariah Carey. There's just an expectation that you do eight shows a week in that style. That's a very different style than old-fashioned Broadway like in Oklahoma, but you still need to be able to sing in that style. So the review is meant to highlight all of the things that we could consider a Broadway musical.
I sit down and I look at a variety of group numbers, and then some numbers for just the girls, some numbers for just the guys, and then the solos and the duets are pulled from the class. And then I've always had the fantastic Kelly DeHaan as my accompanist, because he can play anything. So I always want to make sure that he gets a number in the review as well. So I assign him a song, and he has graciously been our accompanist for the past 20 years.
Anthony Godfrey:
And he chooses and arranges that song.
Clin Eaton:
Sometimes. This year he did. This year he arranged the song that he's going to perform. Other times I just say this is the song and he doesn't even know it and he has to learn it. Other times he's like, "Oh, this will be great." But I want – Kelly is not just a fantastic accompanist and piano player and musician, but he has a killer voice, and not everyone knows that. So I want to be sure that he gets a moment to sing while our students just dance, because I want to make sure that he always wants to do my review.
Anthony Godfrey:
I'm looking forward to seeing that. Now, one standout song as I saw this rehearsal was “One of These Nights” and you said that's from a song sequence?
Clin Eaton:
Yeah, song cycle.
Anthony Godfrey:
Tell me about that. I wasn't aware of that. Are these songs that are – maybe you started to write it for a musical and a musical doesn't take off, but it's a song that you really want to have an audience.
Clin Eaton:
A lot of times in New York City when composers graduate from college, usually a lot of composition majors, they have to put together a variety of songs that could be used in a show. Then they go to New York City to try to get an agent or to try to get a book writer or someone to put those songs to a story. So they just call them song cycles because it's a collection of music that they've worked on. There's a lot of famous Broadway composers that are now writing full-length shows, but what got them their start were writing a bunch of individual songs that then are tied together through a theme. And our title, “One of These Nights”, is from a song cycle called Fugitive Songs. That is a collection of songs kind of going through people's relationships and ‘One of These Nights” has people looking back on what their relationships are.
Anthony Godfrey:
Now you bring in a lot of experts to help choreograph and as you said, Kelly DeHaan plays for this. Tell me about another outside source that you use to support these students.
Clin Eaton:
One of my favorite outside sources is one of my Riverton alumni by the name of Michael Milkanin, who is currently on Broadway in “Shucked”. He was in this class 17 years ago, went to BYU to get his MDT major and has worked professionally ever since he graduated from that program.
When we were in shutdown for COVID, when the high school opened back up, Broadway was not open, so all of those performers returned home. So Michael was back in Riverton and I got the permission to put on the musical “Spongebob Squarepants”. They asked me to be able to do that. So I asked Michael, “I know that you're bored, you're not doing a show right now, do you want to come and choreograph?”
So the students got to work with a professional Broadway performer, but he graduated from Riverton and I had him as a sophomore, junior and senior. And it was so fun being able to watch his incredible talent and his capabilities, working with students that are going on to do that. He has high expectations and I said, “Don't dumb down your choreography, do exactly what would be expected in a professional show.” And the students rose to the occasion.
That same year, we also had Thane Jasperson, who's the only original cast member left in “Hamilton”. I did a show with him at Hale Center Theater and we are friends. So he was in lockdown here and he came and did a number with MDT. That is an amazing experience that students got to work with a “Hamilton” performer and he came for three days and did a number with them for our review.
Anthony Godfrey:
That's unforgettable. What incredible experiences. Well, thank you for everything you do for these students and providing such a high level, unique experience. It's obvious it means a great deal to all these students and they'll never forget this time with you.
Clin Eaton:
Thank you so much for coming out and we hope a lot of people come to our review. It's going to be a really fun time.
[clapping]
Anthony Godfrey:
Stay with us. When we come back hear from some of the talented cast members as students prepare to take the stage.
[clapping]
Break:
In Jordan School District, we like to support students in and outside the classroom along with their families. That's where the Jordan Family Education Center comes in, offering support services and a wide variety of classes for students and their families, free of charge. You can take a class called Blues Busters for children feeling sad or worried. Just Breathe is a class that helps students reduce stress. Or how about a class that supports parents in helping their children make and keep good friends. There are also support groups and free counseling, all provided by Jordan School District school psychologists, counselors, and school psychology interns. To find out how you can benefit from free family support services offered by the Jordan Family Education Center, call 801-565-7442 or visit guidance.jordandistrict.org.
[music]
Clin Eaton:
Alright, MDT! This is Dr. Anthony Godfrey. He is the Superintendent of Jordan School District. And he'll be talking to a few of you, but we just want to show him some stuff we've been working on for the review.
Students:
Okay.
[music]
Student singing “Live in Living Color” from “Catch Me if You Can”:
Live in living color
Let me take you for a ride.
Yes, I'm live in living color
So sit back and let me be your T.V. Guide!
I gotta story I'd like to tell
But I'm gonna need help to tell it well.
I gotta story about fame and money...
[music]
Anthony Godfrey:
We're talking now at Riverton High in the auditorium where it happens with three of the students in the MDT class. Tell me a little bit about yourself and the class.
Morgan Walker:
My name is Morgan Walker. I've been in the class for two years, I auditioned my junior year. And it's been a really fun class. It's been fun to experiment in all the different types of theater and be able to put them together and perform amazing shows with people I love.
Elizabeth Birkner:
Hi, my name is Elizabeth Birkner. I am a senior at Riverton. I'm in the MDT program for three years. My favorite part of MDT is the friends I've made and the opportunity to learn so many different songs and dances from so many different Broadway shows. And really master some of my skills so I can hopefully pursue musical theater in college.
Zaden Gates:
Hi, my name is Zaden Gates. I am in my third year in MDT and I love capybaras. I love this class because the environment around here is so amazing and everyone is so supportive. You can learn so much and just pursue whatever you want and Clin will always help you with that.
Anthony Godfrey:
It sounds like from all three of you that what's important in this class is not just the skills you learn and the material that you get to know, but it's the people that you get to know and the connections that you make. Tell me more about the experiences you've had with these friends over the years.
Elizabeth Birkner:
Well, I actually didn't come from a school that feeds into Riverton. So when I came here for my sophomore year, I was really worried about not having any friends. But I auditioned for MDT in March in my freshman year and then you go in during the summer for the summer retreat and so I didn't really know anyone, but everyone welcomed me in with open arms, even the seniors who didn't know me. And they welcomed me and I had so much fun. In these last three years, I've made so many new friends and I've learned a lot about myself.
Morgan Walker:
It's definitely very welcoming and I think part of it is that everyone's willing to come and be vulnerable and experiment with themselves and be able to find what they love. Everybody's so accepting of that and it's just really a big community of people just building up each other. It's really supportive and it's a really good group of people. So I think it draws people in and they see that in us.
Zaden Gates:
We have a lot of bonding activities as well that we do. Like just today we did our Christmas social and we were able to do a white elephant gift exchange. It was just so much fun to be able to cherish the time and spend it with each other and just love each other for who we are.
Anthony Godfrey:
I think that's fantastic. Now tell me what it's like to be in Mr. Eaton's class. You must really like it because you keep doing it over and over again.
Clin Eaton:
You can also talk about the first assignment that you have to do in the class which is get up and sing a solo.
Anthony Godfrey:
A solo? That's the first assignment?
Clin Eaton:
They have to do their first assignments are three solos.
Elizabeth Birkin:
Yeah, he throws you right in.
Clin Eaton:
And so they can talk about that.
Elizabeth Birkin:
Ohhh. No, yeah. The first day of class, Clin goes, "Alright guys, your first assignment is you have to pick a solo from one of these books of songs." And me, little sophomore me was like, "What? I'm sorry, what are we doing?" And so you do three solos in front of, in my case, strangers, which is even harder, but you have to see them the very next day. It's very scary, but Clin is very supportive and he pushes you, which is what you need in his industry. And it can be hard sometimes, but he's very kind and forgiving and also very sassy, which is very funny.
Anthony Godfrey:
Well, I even got to see a little bit of the feedback that he gave you here as I watched this rehearsal. And it's moving you forward, but it's very kind and constructive and it's just right on point on what you need next. So encouraging and moving you forward all at the same time.
Morgan Walker:
He's very supportive of us. He pushes us very far. Definitely for me, like I never thought I could even come this far in high school and he's been able to just take the best parts of us and use that for our better. It's a really constructive environment.
Clin Eaton:
These are also three seniors that are interested in pursuing this at the college level, which is one reason I pulled them. So they've all been doing their college auditions this past month as well.
Anthony Godfrey:
Oh, so tell me about what's next. You've been auditioning at the college level. What's that like?
Morgan Walker:
It's very stressful, especially not knowing exactly what could happen with your audition process because there's so many options and amazing programs all around the state and the East Coast. So it's very stressful not knowing, but it's very, it's very, I don't know.
Clin Eaton:
Tell them what you have to prepare. What they make, what they require of you.
Morgan Walker:
So I just did my BYU audition and they require two two-minute monologues and two about 90 second songs as well and a dance video as well. So you have to learn all of those and be able to record yourself and submit them.
Elizabeth Birkin:
And that's only for the opportunity to audition for them in person. So it's not if you pass it doesn't mean, oh, you got it. It means, oh, you're good enough to come audition.
Anthony Godfrey:
You're good enough to try.
Elizabeth Birkin:
You're good enough to try in person.
Zaden Gates:
I would say it's it's been a very long and exhausting process, but Clin has been right there beside us in every single step. Whenever we need like him to play piano, if you need advice on anything, he's always willing to be there and just give you flat-out the answer. And then he also like helps you organize all your thoughts because there are so many things going on with schoolwork and college auditions and then rehearsals. It's just so much, but he's so helpful throughout it.
Anthony Godfrey:
It sounds like he's a big part of helping you be at your best for those tryouts.
Zaden Gates:
For sure.
Anthony Godfrey:
What are some of your favorite memories? I mean, this is if we look at this K-12 experience is about this long, you're right here at this little bit at the end. So tell me what are the memories that you'll look back on from this class and this experience at Riverton High School that are most important to you?
Elizabeth Birkin:
I would have to say the girls dressing room has been a very wonderful place for me to make a lot of my closest friends. Like we get ready in there before the shows and we often have deep discussions or we talk about our favorite artists. But mostly it's just the support that I've gotten from those girls and everyone in these classes. But I think the girls dressing room is somewhere I'm going to remember and miss a lot.
Zaden Gates:
Yeah. Just like being backstage with your friends, going for like a quick change or just waiting for your cue. It's so amazing. Like sometimes across the stage somebody will be dancing and so you dance back at them and it's just an amazing stage.
Anthony Godfrey:
From backstage?
Zaden Gates:
Yeah, from backstage. So somebody's on stage singing and then we are dancing. It's usually a very sad song and we're dancing our heart out.
Anthony Godfrey:
Okay. When I see you then I'm going to know that's happening backstage.
Zaden Gates:
Oh, it will be happening.
Anthony Godfrey:
Yeah, the insider intel.
Zaden Gates:
It will be happening. But just those moments like backstage, being able to cherish each other and honestly sharing a connection on stage too is very beautiful. Just being able to like show it to an audience. Even despite its size, it's always amazing to see us just come together and just do something none of us thought we could.
Anthony Godfrey:
Yeah.
Morgan Walker:
I'll definitely miss our local In-N-Out because after most of the shows we go to are In-N-Out and we just sit down and have some food together. But that's the spot where it really like kind of clicks that either the show is over or that show that one run is over. It's a lot of bittersweet memories there because you'll be able to remember all your friends and the hard work that you put in. But it's a way to celebrate as well. So yeah.
Anthony Godfrey:
That's fantastic. Tell me what would you say to students who are thinking or parents who are thinking maybe my child would be interested in this, might want to be part of this. I know sometimes coming into a high school, all of our high schools are big and it can maybe be intimidating. What's your advice for someone who's considering being part of a theater program at their high school?
Morgan Walker:
I would say absolutely go for it. In my middle school when I auditioned for my first show, I was very nervous and it was very scary because I'm the youngest in my family. And all my brother did like track and sports and stuff. And so I told my parents, "I want to do theater! " And they're like, "What? " But I auditioned anyway and they went and saw the show and they're like, "You should pursue this." And so I think taking the first audition or the first step is always going to be harder than the things that lead up after that.
Clin Eaton:
And my advice as the teacher is there's a place for you even if it's not in the MDT class. Theater is a big umbrella. So at least at Riverton High School, and I know all of the high schools in the district, there's a place somewhere in the theater program for you. Even if you're not a singer or a dancer, if you're willing to get up on stage and do something, you can be in the theater classes. We have theater one, two, three, and four. Not everyone has to sing and dance. It's a unique skill set, but you can still do really good stuff. And behind the scenes and technical theater is just as important as the people on the stage. And there's always spots in high schools for technical theater. So don't be intimidated if you're not a singer or a dancer. Take the theater class because you'll be surprised at the friends you make and the skills that you can learn, even if you don't consider yourself a singer or a dancer.
Elizabeth Birkin:
And a lot of the skills that you learn in these various classes or shows, you can take with you throughout your life, even if you aren't going to do theater. It helps you be a better public speaker. It gives you confidence in yourself. And it just opens you up to a whole different world.
Zaden Gates:
You should just be yourself because everybody is so welcoming and they will love you for who you are. And there's no need to be anyone else.
Anthony Godfrey:
And being in theater, you can be yourself by being someone else.
Elizabeth Birkin:
Exactly. It's taught me a lot about myself by being someone else for a day.
Anthony Godfrey:
Well, thank you very much. I'm thrilled to get to see behind the scenes before the actual performance. And I look forward to seeing you next year.
[music]
Thank you for joining us on another episode of the Supercast. Remember, education is the most important thing you will do today. We'll see you out there.
[music]
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By Jordan Supercast
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They are a talented group of students making magic happen in musical dance theater. On this episode of the Supercast, we head to Riverton High School where teacher Clin Eaton has been producing amazing performances with students singing and dancing their hearts out for more than three decades.
This time students are taking the stage in a production called “One of These Nights, a Broadway Review” and we got a front row seat to see how rehearsals are going.
Audio Transcription
[Music] [Bell rings]
Anthony Godfrey:
Hello and welcome to the Supercast. I'm your host, Superintendent Anthony Godfrey. They are a talented group of students making magic happen in musical dance theater.
On this episode of the Supercast, we head to Riverton High School, where teacher Clin Eaton has been producing amazing performances with students singing and dancing their hearts out for more than three decades. This time, students are taking the stage in a production called "One of These Nights, a Broadway Review," and we have a front row seat to see how rehearsals are going.
[Music]
We're talking now with Clin Eaton, theater teacher of many years at Riverton High School. Thank you for taking the time to make these students available and to let me see this rehearsal.
Clin Eaton:
You bet. It's good practice for them to perform in front of other people than me.
Anthony Godfrey:
Tell me a little bit about your career. How long have you been at Riverton? Have you been here since it opened?
Clin Eaton:
I've been here since it opened. My very first day of student teaching, I was assigned at BYU to be here, and my first day was the very first day the doors opened of this building. I was new just like every single other person here was. I was assigned to be with the fantastic Shawnda Moss, and Dave Stoddard was our principal, and he was my middle school science teacher. He remembered me, so he was thrilled to have a Joel P. Jensen alumni, because I am a West Jordan alumni. I had a great high school theater experience, and so I student taught here and was basically thrown in the deep end with the musical and Shakespeare competition and all of that. I was hired to teach with Shawnda right after my student teaching experience. I feel like I've been here from the beginning.
Anthony Godfrey:
You are the Riverton Theater common thread right from the start.
Clin Eaton:
Yes, and we've always had two teachers here, and they've all been fantastic colleagues.
Anthony Godfrey:
It sounds like a great start to a career. You come into a school where you know the principal from years ago, you have great support, and everybody's new.
Clin Eaton:
I was offered American Fork the same day, but it was no question to choose Riverton.
Anthony Godfrey:
I'm very glad that you made that choice. A lot of Jordan District students have benefited from that. I've known you for a long time, and this is a long time coming to get to talk with you for the podcast. Tell me about this Broadway review that the kids have been preparing. It was really exciting to see that rehearsal. How are the songs chosen, and what does this mean to you and the kids?
Clin Eaton:
I started the class in 2005 when I realized that we just had in our community, we had a lot of kids that what are considered in the industry triple threats. They were singer, dancers, and actors, and I wanted to do a class that focused on that and have it be an audition class.
The first year, I think I took everyone that auditioned, because it was just a new class, and we had some very green performers and we had some really seasoned performers. But the one thing that I decided that we needed to start with was solo singing. To get them comfortable standing up by themselves, because in the history of musical theater, you always have to be able to stand up and sing by yourself to get a role.
With these students that we started, we did all these solos, and I'm like, "Okay, I think this kind of lends itself to a review, and that will be our end-of-semester goal." So first semester, we will work on a whole bunch of different styles, because if you look at Broadway today, you have jukebox musicals with a Michael Jackson musical where you need to be able to basically be a pop rock singer. You have a musical like Six, where you need to be able to sing like Beyonce or Mariah Carey. There's just an expectation that you do eight shows a week in that style. That's a very different style than old-fashioned Broadway like in Oklahoma, but you still need to be able to sing in that style. So the review is meant to highlight all of the things that we could consider a Broadway musical.
I sit down and I look at a variety of group numbers, and then some numbers for just the girls, some numbers for just the guys, and then the solos and the duets are pulled from the class. And then I've always had the fantastic Kelly DeHaan as my accompanist, because he can play anything. So I always want to make sure that he gets a number in the review as well. So I assign him a song, and he has graciously been our accompanist for the past 20 years.
Anthony Godfrey:
And he chooses and arranges that song.
Clin Eaton:
Sometimes. This year he did. This year he arranged the song that he's going to perform. Other times I just say this is the song and he doesn't even know it and he has to learn it. Other times he's like, "Oh, this will be great." But I want – Kelly is not just a fantastic accompanist and piano player and musician, but he has a killer voice, and not everyone knows that. So I want to be sure that he gets a moment to sing while our students just dance, because I want to make sure that he always wants to do my review.
Anthony Godfrey:
I'm looking forward to seeing that. Now, one standout song as I saw this rehearsal was “One of These Nights” and you said that's from a song sequence?
Clin Eaton:
Yeah, song cycle.
Anthony Godfrey:
Tell me about that. I wasn't aware of that. Are these songs that are – maybe you started to write it for a musical and a musical doesn't take off, but it's a song that you really want to have an audience.
Clin Eaton:
A lot of times in New York City when composers graduate from college, usually a lot of composition majors, they have to put together a variety of songs that could be used in a show. Then they go to New York City to try to get an agent or to try to get a book writer or someone to put those songs to a story. So they just call them song cycles because it's a collection of music that they've worked on. There's a lot of famous Broadway composers that are now writing full-length shows, but what got them their start were writing a bunch of individual songs that then are tied together through a theme. And our title, “One of These Nights”, is from a song cycle called Fugitive Songs. That is a collection of songs kind of going through people's relationships and ‘One of These Nights” has people looking back on what their relationships are.
Anthony Godfrey:
Now you bring in a lot of experts to help choreograph and as you said, Kelly DeHaan plays for this. Tell me about another outside source that you use to support these students.
Clin Eaton:
One of my favorite outside sources is one of my Riverton alumni by the name of Michael Milkanin, who is currently on Broadway in “Shucked”. He was in this class 17 years ago, went to BYU to get his MDT major and has worked professionally ever since he graduated from that program.
When we were in shutdown for COVID, when the high school opened back up, Broadway was not open, so all of those performers returned home. So Michael was back in Riverton and I got the permission to put on the musical “Spongebob Squarepants”. They asked me to be able to do that. So I asked Michael, “I know that you're bored, you're not doing a show right now, do you want to come and choreograph?”
So the students got to work with a professional Broadway performer, but he graduated from Riverton and I had him as a sophomore, junior and senior. And it was so fun being able to watch his incredible talent and his capabilities, working with students that are going on to do that. He has high expectations and I said, “Don't dumb down your choreography, do exactly what would be expected in a professional show.” And the students rose to the occasion.
That same year, we also had Thane Jasperson, who's the only original cast member left in “Hamilton”. I did a show with him at Hale Center Theater and we are friends. So he was in lockdown here and he came and did a number with MDT. That is an amazing experience that students got to work with a “Hamilton” performer and he came for three days and did a number with them for our review.
Anthony Godfrey:
That's unforgettable. What incredible experiences. Well, thank you for everything you do for these students and providing such a high level, unique experience. It's obvious it means a great deal to all these students and they'll never forget this time with you.
Clin Eaton:
Thank you so much for coming out and we hope a lot of people come to our review. It's going to be a really fun time.
[clapping]
Anthony Godfrey:
Stay with us. When we come back hear from some of the talented cast members as students prepare to take the stage.
[clapping]
Break:
In Jordan School District, we like to support students in and outside the classroom along with their families. That's where the Jordan Family Education Center comes in, offering support services and a wide variety of classes for students and their families, free of charge. You can take a class called Blues Busters for children feeling sad or worried. Just Breathe is a class that helps students reduce stress. Or how about a class that supports parents in helping their children make and keep good friends. There are also support groups and free counseling, all provided by Jordan School District school psychologists, counselors, and school psychology interns. To find out how you can benefit from free family support services offered by the Jordan Family Education Center, call 801-565-7442 or visit guidance.jordandistrict.org.
[music]
Clin Eaton:
Alright, MDT! This is Dr. Anthony Godfrey. He is the Superintendent of Jordan School District. And he'll be talking to a few of you, but we just want to show him some stuff we've been working on for the review.
Students:
Okay.
[music]
Student singing “Live in Living Color” from “Catch Me if You Can”:
Live in living color
Let me take you for a ride.
Yes, I'm live in living color
So sit back and let me be your T.V. Guide!
I gotta story I'd like to tell
But I'm gonna need help to tell it well.
I gotta story about fame and money...
[music]
Anthony Godfrey:
We're talking now at Riverton High in the auditorium where it happens with three of the students in the MDT class. Tell me a little bit about yourself and the class.
Morgan Walker:
My name is Morgan Walker. I've been in the class for two years, I auditioned my junior year. And it's been a really fun class. It's been fun to experiment in all the different types of theater and be able to put them together and perform amazing shows with people I love.
Elizabeth Birkner:
Hi, my name is Elizabeth Birkner. I am a senior at Riverton. I'm in the MDT program for three years. My favorite part of MDT is the friends I've made and the opportunity to learn so many different songs and dances from so many different Broadway shows. And really master some of my skills so I can hopefully pursue musical theater in college.
Zaden Gates:
Hi, my name is Zaden Gates. I am in my third year in MDT and I love capybaras. I love this class because the environment around here is so amazing and everyone is so supportive. You can learn so much and just pursue whatever you want and Clin will always help you with that.
Anthony Godfrey:
It sounds like from all three of you that what's important in this class is not just the skills you learn and the material that you get to know, but it's the people that you get to know and the connections that you make. Tell me more about the experiences you've had with these friends over the years.
Elizabeth Birkner:
Well, I actually didn't come from a school that feeds into Riverton. So when I came here for my sophomore year, I was really worried about not having any friends. But I auditioned for MDT in March in my freshman year and then you go in during the summer for the summer retreat and so I didn't really know anyone, but everyone welcomed me in with open arms, even the seniors who didn't know me. And they welcomed me and I had so much fun. In these last three years, I've made so many new friends and I've learned a lot about myself.
Morgan Walker:
It's definitely very welcoming and I think part of it is that everyone's willing to come and be vulnerable and experiment with themselves and be able to find what they love. Everybody's so accepting of that and it's just really a big community of people just building up each other. It's really supportive and it's a really good group of people. So I think it draws people in and they see that in us.
Zaden Gates:
We have a lot of bonding activities as well that we do. Like just today we did our Christmas social and we were able to do a white elephant gift exchange. It was just so much fun to be able to cherish the time and spend it with each other and just love each other for who we are.
Anthony Godfrey:
I think that's fantastic. Now tell me what it's like to be in Mr. Eaton's class. You must really like it because you keep doing it over and over again.
Clin Eaton:
You can also talk about the first assignment that you have to do in the class which is get up and sing a solo.
Anthony Godfrey:
A solo? That's the first assignment?
Clin Eaton:
They have to do their first assignments are three solos.
Elizabeth Birkin:
Yeah, he throws you right in.
Clin Eaton:
And so they can talk about that.
Elizabeth Birkin:
Ohhh. No, yeah. The first day of class, Clin goes, "Alright guys, your first assignment is you have to pick a solo from one of these books of songs." And me, little sophomore me was like, "What? I'm sorry, what are we doing?" And so you do three solos in front of, in my case, strangers, which is even harder, but you have to see them the very next day. It's very scary, but Clin is very supportive and he pushes you, which is what you need in his industry. And it can be hard sometimes, but he's very kind and forgiving and also very sassy, which is very funny.
Anthony Godfrey:
Well, I even got to see a little bit of the feedback that he gave you here as I watched this rehearsal. And it's moving you forward, but it's very kind and constructive and it's just right on point on what you need next. So encouraging and moving you forward all at the same time.
Morgan Walker:
He's very supportive of us. He pushes us very far. Definitely for me, like I never thought I could even come this far in high school and he's been able to just take the best parts of us and use that for our better. It's a really constructive environment.
Clin Eaton:
These are also three seniors that are interested in pursuing this at the college level, which is one reason I pulled them. So they've all been doing their college auditions this past month as well.
Anthony Godfrey:
Oh, so tell me about what's next. You've been auditioning at the college level. What's that like?
Morgan Walker:
It's very stressful, especially not knowing exactly what could happen with your audition process because there's so many options and amazing programs all around the state and the East Coast. So it's very stressful not knowing, but it's very, it's very, I don't know.
Clin Eaton:
Tell them what you have to prepare. What they make, what they require of you.
Morgan Walker:
So I just did my BYU audition and they require two two-minute monologues and two about 90 second songs as well and a dance video as well. So you have to learn all of those and be able to record yourself and submit them.
Elizabeth Birkin:
And that's only for the opportunity to audition for them in person. So it's not if you pass it doesn't mean, oh, you got it. It means, oh, you're good enough to come audition.
Anthony Godfrey:
You're good enough to try.
Elizabeth Birkin:
You're good enough to try in person.
Zaden Gates:
I would say it's it's been a very long and exhausting process, but Clin has been right there beside us in every single step. Whenever we need like him to play piano, if you need advice on anything, he's always willing to be there and just give you flat-out the answer. And then he also like helps you organize all your thoughts because there are so many things going on with schoolwork and college auditions and then rehearsals. It's just so much, but he's so helpful throughout it.
Anthony Godfrey:
It sounds like he's a big part of helping you be at your best for those tryouts.
Zaden Gates:
For sure.
Anthony Godfrey:
What are some of your favorite memories? I mean, this is if we look at this K-12 experience is about this long, you're right here at this little bit at the end. So tell me what are the memories that you'll look back on from this class and this experience at Riverton High School that are most important to you?
Elizabeth Birkin:
I would have to say the girls dressing room has been a very wonderful place for me to make a lot of my closest friends. Like we get ready in there before the shows and we often have deep discussions or we talk about our favorite artists. But mostly it's just the support that I've gotten from those girls and everyone in these classes. But I think the girls dressing room is somewhere I'm going to remember and miss a lot.
Zaden Gates:
Yeah. Just like being backstage with your friends, going for like a quick change or just waiting for your cue. It's so amazing. Like sometimes across the stage somebody will be dancing and so you dance back at them and it's just an amazing stage.
Anthony Godfrey:
From backstage?
Zaden Gates:
Yeah, from backstage. So somebody's on stage singing and then we are dancing. It's usually a very sad song and we're dancing our heart out.
Anthony Godfrey:
Okay. When I see you then I'm going to know that's happening backstage.
Zaden Gates:
Oh, it will be happening.
Anthony Godfrey:
Yeah, the insider intel.
Zaden Gates:
It will be happening. But just those moments like backstage, being able to cherish each other and honestly sharing a connection on stage too is very beautiful. Just being able to like show it to an audience. Even despite its size, it's always amazing to see us just come together and just do something none of us thought we could.
Anthony Godfrey:
Yeah.
Morgan Walker:
I'll definitely miss our local In-N-Out because after most of the shows we go to are In-N-Out and we just sit down and have some food together. But that's the spot where it really like kind of clicks that either the show is over or that show that one run is over. It's a lot of bittersweet memories there because you'll be able to remember all your friends and the hard work that you put in. But it's a way to celebrate as well. So yeah.
Anthony Godfrey:
That's fantastic. Tell me what would you say to students who are thinking or parents who are thinking maybe my child would be interested in this, might want to be part of this. I know sometimes coming into a high school, all of our high schools are big and it can maybe be intimidating. What's your advice for someone who's considering being part of a theater program at their high school?
Morgan Walker:
I would say absolutely go for it. In my middle school when I auditioned for my first show, I was very nervous and it was very scary because I'm the youngest in my family. And all my brother did like track and sports and stuff. And so I told my parents, "I want to do theater! " And they're like, "What? " But I auditioned anyway and they went and saw the show and they're like, "You should pursue this." And so I think taking the first audition or the first step is always going to be harder than the things that lead up after that.
Clin Eaton:
And my advice as the teacher is there's a place for you even if it's not in the MDT class. Theater is a big umbrella. So at least at Riverton High School, and I know all of the high schools in the district, there's a place somewhere in the theater program for you. Even if you're not a singer or a dancer, if you're willing to get up on stage and do something, you can be in the theater classes. We have theater one, two, three, and four. Not everyone has to sing and dance. It's a unique skill set, but you can still do really good stuff. And behind the scenes and technical theater is just as important as the people on the stage. And there's always spots in high schools for technical theater. So don't be intimidated if you're not a singer or a dancer. Take the theater class because you'll be surprised at the friends you make and the skills that you can learn, even if you don't consider yourself a singer or a dancer.
Elizabeth Birkin:
And a lot of the skills that you learn in these various classes or shows, you can take with you throughout your life, even if you aren't going to do theater. It helps you be a better public speaker. It gives you confidence in yourself. And it just opens you up to a whole different world.
Zaden Gates:
You should just be yourself because everybody is so welcoming and they will love you for who you are. And there's no need to be anyone else.
Anthony Godfrey:
And being in theater, you can be yourself by being someone else.
Elizabeth Birkin:
Exactly. It's taught me a lot about myself by being someone else for a day.
Anthony Godfrey:
Well, thank you very much. I'm thrilled to get to see behind the scenes before the actual performance. And I look forward to seeing you next year.
[music]
Thank you for joining us on another episode of the Supercast. Remember, education is the most important thing you will do today. We'll see you out there.
[music]
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