"Sound of Music" takes the stage at the Clark Center tomorrow night

Posted: Dec 5, 2012 2:44 PM by Dan Shadwell
Updated: Dec 5, 2012 2:50 PM

Nipomo High School's production of the "Sound of Music" is just about ready for prime time and they're taking the big stage at Clark Center in Arroyo Grande this weekend.
It's an ambitious project and we stopped by on Monday as they were putting the finishing touches on the old "do-ra-me."

"We love coming to the Clark Center," explained actor Brett Bey. "Being in front of everyone on the Clark Center stage--there's such a different feel compared to being on the Nipomo High stage.

"It definitely effects the scale to which we design our sets," agrees artistic director Cynthia Anthony. "The blocking and choreography also has to expand beyond what we would do in our own theatre on campus."

Beyond the production values, the story is a challenge for the actors: the family run by its order-obsessed patriarch, who despises music; the young governess trying to bring joy to the kids; all against the back-drop of a looming Nazi invasion.

"This musical... it's a very, very tough musical," actor Sydni Abenido states matter-of-factly. "It's not all the same, like happy, happy all the way through. It's a lot of ups and downs, so it's quite an experience to do this one."

Even so, the cast seems to be finding its way and that's the moment the director lives for. "Something or another clicks," Anthony agrees. "An actor suddenly opens up to the possibilities in a role, a dance comes to life,... it's little bits of magic all along the way."

Magic and songs that are hard to forget, even when the actors have left the theatre.

"I'll like catch myself kind of singing it like at home," Bey explains with a sigh, "... and I'm like, what am I doing? I need to get away from this," he jokes.

Abenido agrees. "They really get in your head and it's really hard to get them out, too. Especially when you go home and you're trying to focus on homework and sleeping. It just doesn't work out," she laughs.

The "Sound of Music" runs this weekend at the Clark Center, with the first performance Friday night.

For more information, just click on "links" at ksby.com.