Shoreline Players Youth Drama Learn the Professional Scoop From Visiting Director
Director Maggie Gautier pumps up her actors as they rehearse "Curtain Call: The Story Begins Before the Curtain Opens."
Oscoda — Singing, dancing, and even some occasional laughing can be heard coming from the Shoreline Players Theater during these hot summer weeks. The Shoreline Players Youth Drama Association is preparing to put on the musical “Curtain Call: The Story Begins Before The Curtain Opens.” The biggest treat for the kids, the director and writer of the musical is working with the young actors to help bring her vision to life.
“It’s really a show about how these really smart kids today are navigating the world,” said Writer/Director Maggie Gautier.
The musical is a coming of age tale about a group of school kids working to put on musical. Hollywood Native Gautier describes it as art imitating art with plenty of singing and dancing. Songs are uplifting and family friendly. The benefit for the children is that they get to play a character similar to themselves compared to other plays and musicals where the kids have to play adults or Shakespearean characters.
“It gives them a chance to really be working with some content that I think hits home with all kids,” said Gautier, “Everybody is on their video games, this is pulling them off their video games and making them talk to each other.”
For six years, Gautier has been working on this production, teaming up with professional sound designers and playwrights to make her dream a reality. She is not new to Northeast Michigan. A few years ago, Gautier watched “Curtain Call: The Story Begins Before The Curtain Opens” debut at the Rogers City Community Theater. Since the debut, she’s been tweaking scenes and helping perfect her musical. For the past four weeks, she’s been working with the youth players of Oscoda.
“We’ve had such a great group of kids, we thought, how can offer them an opportunity that would be unique?” said Sue Miller, Parent Assistant at Shoreline Players Youth Drama Association. “We could still be involved with what they were doing but bring somebody else in who would have a whole different skill set, background, and experience.”
Miller and Gautier met in Rogers City back when the musical debuted. Miller fell in love with the production and knew the musical as well as Gautier would be a great addition to helping educate the youth players at Shoreline. Gautier hopes that this musical will peek the interest of top entertainment executives in Hollywood where she resides.
“Curtain Call: The Story Begins Before The Curtain Opens” kicks off on Thursday, July 19 at 7:00pm. The cast will be putting on four performances. July 19-21 will have performances at 7:00pm. The matinee will take place on Sunday, July 22 at 2:00p.m. Tickets for adults are $10, children $5. The Shoreline Players Theater is located at 6000 N Skeel Ave. in Oscoda.
