By Bobby Ellis
bobby.ellis@education.ky.gov
Mozart was only 12 years old when he composed and wrote the opera “Bastien und Bastienne.”
So, perhaps it makes sense that the people who would be performing it as part of a School for Creative and Performing Arts at Bluegrass (SCAPA) program would be teenagers around the same age.
“I mean, when you think about it, it’s perfect for young teenagers,” said Director Rachel Rogers, a SCAPA arts facilitator at Lafayette Senior High School (Fayette County). “It’s got the comedy that someone of that age would find hilarious, but yet it was played in palaces.”
In the show, Lafayette High School freshmen J.T. Snow and Abby Cunningham sing, dance and flirt with each other as the titular roles. Meanwhile, the pair are being tricked and fooled by Lafayette High School freshman Luke Dailey in the role of Colas, a soothsayer and magician who seems slightly more lucky than skilled at his job.
“It’s really very impressive to see all the work that goes into this,” said Millie Fields, a SCAPA music teacher, who plays the piano and co-directs the production. “Rachel is much more used to doing plays and drama and I’m used to music, so she’s doing that part and I’m doing my part. It’s a lot of work.”
Unlike large SCAPA productions that may be too much for smaller districts to handle, this one has just three students and is being performed in a church.
“It’s fantastic that there are these three kids doing this,” said Robert Duncan, an art consultant at the Kentucky Department of Education. “It’s important to remember that anyone can do things like this. You don’t need the resources that programs like SCAPA have. All you need is a a place, a cafeteria or someplace similar, and utilize the skill of your teachers and performers. It can be just like a black box theater.”
Schools looking to put on their own small performances can find resources at the Kentucky Arts Council, The Kentucky Theatre Association and the Kentucky Music Educator’s Association.
Photo by Bobby Ellis, Jan. 18, 2017″ width=”584″ height=”393″> J.T. Snow, left, Luke Dailey and Abby Cunningham practice a musical number from Mozart’s opera “Bastien und Bastienne” during a rehearsal at Beaumont Presbyterian Church.
Photo by Bobby Ellis, Jan. 18, 2017
Photo by Bobby Ellis, Jan. 18, 2017″ width=”584″ height=”381″> In the one-act opera, Lafayette High School freshmen J.T. Snow, left, and Abby Cunningham sing, dance and flirt with each other as the titular roles. Meanwhile, the pair are being tricked and fooled by Lafayette High School freshman Luke Dailey, center, in the role of Colas, a soothsayer and magician who seems slightly more lucky than skilled at his job.
Photo by Bobby Ellis, Jan. 18, 2017
Photo by Bobby Ellis, Jan. 18, 2017″ width=”584″ height=”421″> Luke Dailey takes notes during a rehearsal for one-act opera put on by SCAPA at Beaumont Presbyterian Church.
Photo by Bobby Ellis, Jan. 18, 2017
Photo by Bobby Ellis, Jan. 18, 2017″ width=”584″ height=”387″> Luke Dailey gets direction from Rachel Rogers during rehearsals for a one-act opera put on by SCAPA students from Lafayette High School (Fayette County).
Photo by Bobby Ellis, Jan. 18, 2017
Photo by Bobby Ellis, Jan. 18, 2016″ width=”584″ height=”393″> Director Rachel Rogers gives instructions to Luke Dailey, left, and J.T. Snow during rehearsals for “Bastien und Bastienne.”
Photo by Bobby Ellis, Jan. 18, 2016
Photo by Bobby Ellis, Jan. 18, 2017″ width=”584″ height=”384″> Luke Bailey and J.T. Snow take notes during rehearsal of “Bastien and Bastienne.”
Photo by Bobby Ellis, Jan. 18, 2017
Photo by Bobby Ellis, Jan. 18, 2017″ width=”584″ height=”357″> Abby Cunningham’s script of “Bastien and Bastienne” sits under a shawl during rehearsals.
Photo by Bobby Ellis, Jan. 18, 2017
Photo by Bobby Ellis, Jan. 18, 2017″ width=”584″ height=”422″> Rachel Rogers adjusts Abby Cunningham’s headband during rehearsals for Mozart’s “Bastien und Bastienne.”
Photo by Bobby Ellis, Jan. 18, 2017
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