‘CATS’ On Track shop online at www.missourivalleyshopper.com March 1, 2016 • Page 11 The Ambitious YHS Production Of The Beloved Musical Moves Into Rehearsals EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the second in a series of stories involving the preparations for Yankton High School’s spring musical production. ----------- L By Reilly Biel reilly.biel@yankton.net ights, camera ... meow? That’s not far off for the Yankton High School (YHS) drama department, which is in the midst of preparing for the upcoming production of the musical “CATS.” A long-running Broadway play by Andrew Lloyd Webber, “CATS” tells the story of a tribe of cats called the Jellicles and the night they make what is known as “the Jellicle choice” and decide which cat will ascend to the Heaviside Layer and come back to a new life. The musical is based on “Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats” by T. S. Eliot, a collection of poems about different kinds of cats. Work on YHS’s version of the musical began last fall. In addition to crafting costumes, the production team held a fundraiser involving the sell-from-home company Jamberry. Products sold included nail polish, gel and wraps. Auditions took place Feb. 15-17. There are 87 cast members, with 29 in the main cast. It will be performed April 14-18, minus that Sunday, at the YHS/Summit Activities Center theatre. “It’s a rushed production this year,” director Amy Miner said. “Normally, we have an extra week to practice, but because of where the one-act play, prom and Easter fell, we don’t even have two full months to rehearse.” However, Miner and her crew are determined to not let that be an issue. A week into rehearsals, things couldn’t be going better, Reilly Biel/P&D The cast of the Yankton High School musical production of “CATS” improvises practicing their dance routines in the school’s hallways after losing access to the theatre. The show’s first performance will be held April 14. she said. tors onstage is difficult, but is not impossible chain-link fence, were donated to the drama with the right props. With the show taking department. “They are hard workers,” Miner said of place in a junkyard, the opportunities are “Donations are helping hugely,” Kallis the cast. “We have accomplished more than endless. said. “What makes up the set comes down to I thought we would in our first few rehears“There will be several different levels to als.” the set,” costume designer Pam Kallis said. That is especially impressive given the n cats “The actors can dance on top of a railway size and scale of the musical requires many car, in a dumpster, the back end of a pickup of the actors to be able to sing and dance, Page 12 and so on.” oftentimes at once. Those and other props, “The show is a monster,” Miner said. New PREFERRED BUILDERS “Every song is huge and every song could in- including garbage cans and a Construction CONSTRUCTION COMPANY volve each of the 87 cats. Remodeling We’re trying Ron’s Auto Glass to find a balance of what Home Repair degree how many will be singing and Jim Richter Home Auto Business Siding dancing.” Kevin Olson 605-267-4118 Glass Repair & Replacement Fitting 605-661-7480 605-661-6559 1915 Broadway Street, Yankton that many ac- 605-665-9841 www.ronsautoglass.com Windows 45153 315th St • Gayville, SD 57031 7 Participating Businesses Are… Change What You Eat - Change How You Feel Prices Good March 1 - March 14 ON ANY HEALTH MARKET CHIPS EARN 3¢ N P Rita’s (INCLUDING GLUTEN FREE CHIPS) E R OFF G A L LO Purse–o–Nalities Riverfront Event Center Kameda Crisps 2 $ CREATIVE CORNER 89 “Gluten free, always baked and no artificial colors or flavors” Nebraska Farm Fresh Eggs 100 Calorie Snacks & Baked Crisps 3 48 Farm fresh, cage free with outdoor access, hand collected and inspected and grain and alfalfa fed. 79 J&H Cleaning Services Krave Jerky 5 $ 49 Personal Nutrition Counseling Come to Hy-Vee for individual nutrition counseling when you need a special diet or your physician recommends you make diet changes. • Weight Loss • Heart Disease Kenny Charity • Diabetes Tomek Schantz • Gluten-free Hy-Vee Hy-Vee and other food EARN Dietitian Health intolerances Market • Other Nutrition concerns Manager N P ER OFF G A L LO Join our ‘Friends2Follow’ program! EARN 2 Contact your Yankton Media Representative today! ¢ E R OFF G A L LO P 2 ¢ YANKTON WORKS Want your REAL-TIME MESSAGE on the most visited media website in the Yankton area? All Natural Jerky N $ 3 $ Slim Fast 605-665-7811