By Anthony Navarrete, Staff Writer
The Newman Music Department will present its annual spring show titled “Something About This Night” this weekend.
The show opens tonight at 7:30 p.m. followed by shows on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights at 7:30 p.m. in the Performance Hall.
Director of Music Deanne Zogleman said in an email this year’s show will focus on what she thinks the world could use more of.
“I decided to focus on one of the most happy events in life – falling in love and marriage,” she said.
Senior Ashleigh Taylor said there is a wide variety of music for the audience to enjoy. The traditional rock medley will be in the show, as well as a Disney medley, contemporary Broadway music and some a capella from contemporary pop.
“It’s super all over the place, but it all comes together under the theme of love and marriage,” she said.
Ashleigh said the performers have been getting ready for the show since the beginning of this semester and her favorite part in preparing for it has been the dance rehearsals and on occasion, teaching her cast mates the dance routines.
“Even though I’m no longer on the dance team, I still get to dance and have fun in chorale,” she said.
Freshman Trevor Taylor is performing in his first spring show and he said that while he’s enjoyed it so far, there’s a lot of work that people don’t see.
“Rehearsals have been pretty fun but they’re also super long. Yesterday we started at 5:30 and I didn’t go home until about midnight,” he said. “I wasn’t expecting it to be quite that long, but it’s not bad.”
Trevor said his favorite part of the show was building relationships with some of his fellow cast mates.
“I just really like being up there with all the guys and relating to all them and singing with all them. There’s just so much talent there and I relate to all of them, just like I would my brothers,” he said.
For siblings Ashleigh and Trevor, this will be the first and last time the two share the spotlight in a Newman musical.
“My brother and I are really close. He’s very talented, so being able to share the stage with a talented sibling is really cool,” Ashleigh said.
Trevor said it feels good to be in the show with his sister and that it gives him someone to look up to.
“She’s gone above and beyond in chorale and theatre here and has just done a lot with it,” he said.
For the past 14 years, Zogleman and long time collaborator Phil Spear have written the spring show based off a list of music Zogleman has chosen.
Zogleman said students have not only put in work in learning the music, dance and speaking parts, but each student has also logged at least three hours building the set.
“And I preach to them all the time that they are not just the ‘divas on stage’ – I want them to know every aspect of putting a production together,” she said. “It truly is their own show in every aspect.”
PHOTO: Courtesy Photo, University Relations
