Sinclair students will be performing their first-ever all student-run production, bare: A Pop Opera, debuting Thursday, Nov. 13.
Bare is a rock musical by Jon Hartmere, Jr. and Damon Intrabartolo, with lyrics by Hartmere and music by Intrabartolo. The musical’s first production took place at the Hudson Theatre in Los Angeles, California, running from October 2000 to February 2001. The New York production of Bare on American Theatre of Actors off-Broadway, was performed from April to May 2004.
“Bare is the first musical completely ran by students to take place at Sinclair,” Natalie Sanders (who plays Ivy) informed. “It’s definitely a different direction.”
Director Chris Harmon and music director David Mckibben oversees the production giving guidance and education to the 17-person cast. Lighting, stage set-up and costumes are all student-designed.
The story of bare is set in the present and focuses on two gay teens and their experiences at a Catholic boarding school. Underlying issues of drug use, body-image concerns and teen pregnancy are also interwoven into the plot of the student musical.
The rehearsals take place four days a week at the newly renovated Black Box theatre across from the Green room in building 2.
To make the production different from many other shows Chris Harmon is allowing this production to be exactly what it is, a student-run musical. Keeping a keen eye, Harmon watched on as the actors played before him.
“Different lighting, set design helps everyone brings something different to the table to make a performance unique,” he said. “They have so many great ideas if you let them be independent, but still keep with a vision.” Mckibben leads the musical instruction with intense, passionate direction, while helping guide the many voice into rising and lowering waves of depth and tone. With each break and piece of advice, along with encouragement, the cast begins singing in divine unison.
“This performance is especially challenging since the entire play is singing,” Mckibeen said while listening to the performers before him. “You can tell this cast is practicing outside of rehearsals and coming in prepared every time.
” AJ Breslin, a straight actor, plays Peter, one of the gay characters of the show. When asked if it’s hard to go from being a straight man to playing a gay role, AJ replied.
“It’s all a part of acting—I portray the same feelings I have for my girlfriend when playing the role.” As he looked back at his girlfriend, who plays his rival in love on stage, he added, “Love is universal.”
When asked if a show about the conflicts of gays in school is still relevant today, Breslin answered, “Unfortunately, yes. I don’t know if it should be, but the more tragic scenes are still very prevalent especially in more conservative areas.”
Breslin worked alongside many gay students to bring to life to production, stated, “They aren’t just a ‘gay’ community to me, they are part of my community.”
As rehearsal and music instruction begins, the actors expand to fill the Black Box Theater, incorporating all of the space in their practice of voice projection.
“This is my first bigger role,” Anna Sheldon, who plays the fiery and passionate Nadia, said. “I have sass similar to Nadia, which she uses as a defense mechanism. I can definitely recognize and identify with that.”
Sheldon said theatre is all about storytelling and connecting to a bigger realm. Marissa Childress, the lighting designer and winner of a Daytony Award of Excellence for her lighting work in Expecting Isabel, is finding her skills tested for this production that incorporates not only mood lighting but flashing lights and dramatic appearance to match the rock music.
“Correct lighting is pure emotion, powerful, and the last puzzle piece to any show,” Childress said. Playing a character that struggles with his sexuality and how it fits in with his religious beliefs is a role that takes a lot of ability and charisma.
He noted while walking off stage, “This performance doesn’t slam religion, it slams intolerance.”
Bare: A Pop Opera performances are on Thursday, Nov. 13 at 7:00 p.m., and Friday and Saturday, Nov. 14 and 15 at 8:00 p.m. General admission tickets cost $15.
Jamez Duty