The Next Big Step: MHS Revue Is Student-Run

By Emily Henrikson
Contributing Writer

“I’m not afraid of anything, be it growing old or going out of style.” These lyrics from Jason Robert Brown’s musical “Songs for a New World” encompass the theme for Moorhead High School’s Arts Alive performance of “Fear: A Musical Revue.”

“Fear” is entirely student-run, by juniors and seniors. They wrote the script, choreographed the dance, and took directing matters into their own hands. Lighting, sound, and poster design were also done solely by Moorhead High students, making this show different than any other performance done at MHS during the year.

Rebecca Meyer-Larson, director and Theater Arts/English instructor at Moorhead says, “Arts Alive is them taking the guidance they’ve been given and saying, ‘Can you do it on your own?’” Based on what I observed at a rehearsal, the answer is yes, they can.

The theme for the revue is fear, be it childhood, irrational, future, or fears that have been overcome. So many of the students in the show are seniors getting ready to take the next big step into college and all the fears that go along with it. As Meyer-Larson put it while fixing the blocking of a scene, “Senior year is scary. You’re expected to make all these important decisions that you are just kind of thrown into. It’s like, ‘Here’s your senior year!’ with no idea what to expect.”

The show is bookended with student-made films full of fear and stress. Each scene features different members of the cast, and each member is featured, whether it is through song, dance, or monologue. While it is a musical revue, the songs the students selected don’t come only from musicals. There are songs from movies and even a few rock songs thrown in, giving the show a broad appeal.

The set is simple, consisting only of black wooden boxes that are placed differently for each scene, a concept that works wonderfully, and doesn’t distract from the sincerity of the students’ performances.

The cast is composed of veterans of the MHS stage, as well as some fresh faces. Senior and student director Mark Hanna is excited to show off the hard work the cast has put into this performance. This strong ensemble is definitely worth taking a look at.

“Fear: A Musical Revue” runs one night only, Thursday, May 27 at 7pm in the MHS auditorium, 2300 4th Ave S. Admission is $3.

Questions and comments: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

If You Go

What: “Fear: A Musical Revue”
Where: Moorhead High School
When: Thurs, May 27, 7pm
Info: 218.284.2301