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Ouachita to present the comic opera “H.M.S. Pinafore” Nov. 4-7

Ouachita Baptist University students performing a scene from "H.M.S. Pinafore"November 02, 2021 - Madison McGhee

Ouachita's Division of Music and Department of Theatre Arts will present the comic opera “H.M.S. Pinafore” by W.S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan from Thursday-Sunday, Nov. 4-7, in Jones Performing Arts Center. Performances will take place Thursday-Saturday at 7:30 p.m., with a Sunday matinee at 2:30 p.m.

The production takes place in the 1920s aboard the Royal Navy ship H.M.S. Pinafore, anchored off of England’s south coast at Portsmouth. It tells the story of what happens when a captain's daughter is in love with a lower-class sailor, even though her father intends her to marry a lord.

“I think audiences will be pleasantly surprised by how accessible and funny the production is,” said Director Stephanie Murry, assistant professor of theatre arts at Ouachita. “I am looking forward to their reactions after seeing the performance.”

During the Friday and Sunday productions, the part of Buttercup will be played by Kinsey Potts, a senior musical theatre major from Wylie, Texas.

“Preparing for the production has been a great experience. It has been so much fun getting to interact with and meet new people, create relationships and see all the talent on stage,” Potts said. “I am most excited to hear the audience’s reaction to the action on stage. ... It creates an even more inviting and playful atmosphere for the cast when performing.”

There are 60 Ouachita students in the cast and crew of “Pinafore,” with some roles double-cast to allow broader participation. It is the first time that students from the Opera and Theatre Arts programs will collaborate on a performance.

Matthew Mayfield, a junior vocal performance major from Tull, Ark., plays Ralph Rackstraw, the sailor at the heart of the story.

“Getting the chance to a be part of ‘H.M.S. Pinafore’ has been the greatest privilege I’ve ever had as a performer,” Mayfield said. “Whether it be the amazing talent of my fellow performers, the compelling love story or the fantastic music, Ouachita’s production of ‘H.M.S. Pinafore’ has something for everyone to enjoy!”

The show will also feature a live orchestra in JPAC for the first time since Ouachita’s COVID-19 protocols were put in place.

Tickets cost $12 and can be purchased at www.obu.edu/boxoffice, or weekdays from 1-5 p.m. at the Ouachita Box Office. Students who present their Ouachita ID upon purchase will receive one free ticket. For more information, contact the box office at (870) 245-5555.

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CAST:

Hannah Gothard, a senior musical theatre major from Cleveland, Texas, as Josephine (Friday/Sunday)

Cordell Hufstedler, a sophomore music industry major from Thayer, Mo., as Captain Corcoran

Brennon Humphry, a sophomore musical theatre major from Benton, Ark., as Sir Joseph Porter

Cody Kehmeier, a junior choral music education major from Bentonville, Ark., as Dick Deadeye

Julia Letcher, a junior musical theatre major from Plano, Texas, as Cousin Hebe (Friday/Sunday)

Matthew Mayfield as Ralph Rackstraw

Bella Owen, a senior musical theatre major from Jonesboro, Ark., as Josephine (Thursday/Saturday)

Kinsey Potts as Buttercup (Friday/Sunday)

Karlee Sanders, a senior choral music education major from Caraway, Ark., as Cousin Hebe (Thursday/Saturday)

Logan Talley, a sophomore music industry major from Sheridan, Ark., and Isaac Sanders, a freshman music major from Little Rock, Ark., as Carpenters

Clara Taylor, a senior choral music education major from White Hall, Ark., as Buttercup (Thursday/Saturday)

Noah Warford, a sophomore musical theatre major from North Little Rock, Ark., as Boatswain

 

FEATURED ENSEMBLE:

Erin Bagley, a junior musical theatre major from White Oak, Texas

Abby Burlison, a sophomore musical theatre major from Beebe, Ark.

Kaelin Clay, a freshman music and communications and media/multimedia journalism double major from Idabel, Okla.

Delaney Crane, a freshman Christian studies/Christian ministries major from Wylie, Texas

Amaya Hardin, a freshman musical theatre major from Maumelle, Ark.

Halle Jones, a freshman musical theatre major from Fort Worth, Texas

Maddy Moore, a sophomore musical theatre and theatre arts double major from Mesquite, Texas

Grace Woodward, a sophomore musical theatre major from Plano, Texas

 

ENSEMBLE:

Hannah Adamson, a junior choral music education major from Clinton, Ark.

Melissa Brown, a senior choral music education major from Texarkana, Ark.

Eli Butler, a sophomore musical theatre major from Greenwood, Ark.

Sam Campione, a senior musical theatre major from Waxahachie, Texas

Sarah Franklin, a junior musical theatre major from Grand Cane, La.

Brandon Holloway, a freshman choral music education major from Little Rock, Ark.

Sierra Hoss, a sophomore musical theatre major from Fouke, Ark.

Katelyn Malmer, a freshman choral music education major from Little Elm, Texas

Kailey May, a freshman musical theatre major from Russellville, Ark.

Payton Mixon, a junior musical theatre major from New Caney, Texas

Logan Moore, a senior worship arts major from Gulfport, Miss.

Mckinley Ricks, a freshman musical theatre major from Carlisle, Ark.

Isaac Sanders

Megan Schulz, a sophomore music major from Houston, Texas

Makenna Schaeffer, a senior musical theatre major from Texarkana, Ark.

Jon Shelby, a sophomore worship arts major from Rogers, Ark.

Avery Stahl, a choral music education major from Russellville, Ark.

Kyleigh Stevens, a junior vocal performance major from Hot Springs, Ark.

Logan Talley

Noah Warford

 

ORCHESTRA:

Bassoon — Cross Brandon, a senior music industry major from Little Rock, Ark.

Clarinet 1 — Reganne Dumas, a senior instrumental music education major from Texarkana, Texas

Clarinet 2 — Lane Dunman, a freshman instrumental performance and nutrition and dietetics double major from Cash, Ark.

Flute — Dr. Carlos Feller, visiting assistant professor in the Division of Music at Ouachita

Horn 1 — Holli Barger, a senior instrumental music education major from Carrollton, Texas

Horn 2 — Kaitlyn Campbell, a senior computer science major from Benton, Ark.

Oboe — Brock Wade, a junior instrumental music education major from Carrollton, Texas

Percussion 1 —Jonathan Sandy, a senior instrumental music education major from El Dorado, Ark.

Percussion 2 — Alexa Copeland, a senior instrumental music education major from Nashville, Ark.

Piccolo — Brailee Price, a freshman instrumental music education major from Pineville, La.

Strings — Susan Monroe, Ouachita staff accompanist

Trombone 1 — Tyler Hancock, a freshman instrumental music education major from Alexander, Ark.

Trombone 2 — Will Gordey, a freshman instrumental music education major from Bryant, Ark.

Trumpet — David Laubach, adjunct professor of trumpet at Henderson State University

 

CREW LEADS:

Music director — Dr. Joshua Brown

Assistant music director — Kara Claybrook, visiting instructor of music at Ouachita

Director — Stephanie Murry

Choreographer — Elizabeth Dawson, Ouachita graduate and instructor at Rock City Dance in Little Rock, Ark.

Costume design — Kelsey Looney, visiting assistant professor of theatre at Ouachita

Assistant costume design — Dani Frick, a senior theatre arts major from Benton, Ark.

Scenic and lighting design — Eric Phillips, professor of theatre arts at Ouachita

Assistant lighting design — Mat Snook, a senior theatre arts major from Cedar Hill, Texas

Hair and makeup design — Kelsey Looney

Technical director, Jones Performing Arts Center — Nick Smith

Stage manager — Ashlynn Lockhart, a senior musical theatre major from Holiday Island, Ark.

Assistant stage managers — Dani Frick and Kinder Hinrichs, a sophomore theatre arts major from Harrison, Ark.

Dance captain — Grace Woodward

Poster and graphic design — Adam Wheat, director of Ouachita’s Discover program

 

CREW

Costumes — Hayley Johnson (crew head), a junior theatre arts major from Hot Springs, Ark.; Faith Lymburner, a senior communications and media/multimedia major from Rogers, Ark.; and Liberty Wiggins, a freshman theatre arts major from Plano, Texas

Hair and makeup — Kenzie Burks (crew head), a sophomore theatre arts and education double major from Beebe, Ark., and Bailey Ellison, a senior theatre arts major from New Bern, N.C.

Scenic — Brynlee Beams, a sophomore theatre arts major from Cabot, Ark.; Hayley Johnson; Thomas Lilley, a freshman theatre arts major from Dardanelle, Ark.; and Deann Smith, a freshman philosophy major from Broken Arrow, Okla.

Lighting — Thomas Lilley, Mat Snook and Marion Webb, a sophomore theatre arts and secondary education major from Austin, Texas

Sound — Garner Barnett, a senior Spanish major from Hot Springs, Ark., and Brynlee Beams

Props — Hannah Webber (crew head), a senior public history major from Longview, Texas, and Tyranni Hubbard, a sophomore theatre arts and secondary education double major from Little Rock, Ark.

Publicity — Ray Medina, a senior theatre arts and mass communications double major from Shreveport, La. (crew head), and Danielle Hall, box office manager and Fine Arts administrator at Ouachita

Front of house — Wyatt Ashlock, a junior theatre arts and communication and media/film double major from Royse City, Texas; Macey Coover, a freshman theatre arts and English double major from Springdale, Ark.; Landon Denman, a junior theatre arts and history double major from Fort Worth, Texas; LilyKay Feimster, a junior applied physics and theatre arts double major from Atlanta, Texas; Reece Gray, a freshman nutrition and dietetics major from Monticello, Ark.; Nic Hazlett, a senior engineering physics major from Greenville, Texas; Emma Lawyer, a senior musical theatre major from Wynne, Ark.; and Zoe McGregor, a sophomore psychology major from Mountain Pine, Ark.

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