STARKVILLE — Superheroes and villains compete in a reality television show to find their arch nemesis. Employees at a mall food court are followed by a documentary crew. Amateur ghost hunters attempt to uncover the unknown, but they may find more than they expected.
“Are you still watching?” Writing Director Eric Fritzius asked on Wednesday morning, quoting the name of the original student-written musical seventh-to-12th grade campers are working to create for the 44th year of the Summer Scholars On Stage theater camp at Mississippi State University.
“It’s based on the idea that people will just sit down to watch a streaming service and go from show to show to show, and the streaming service will say ‘are you still watching?’” Fritzius said.
Camp Director Stephen Cunetto said students arrived on campus earlier this week, starting the process of writing, producing, and performing the original show. The campers have only three weeks from start to finish, with the show taking the stage at 7 p.m. June 27 and at 1 p.m. June 28 in McComas Hall on the MSU campus.
“It’s amazing to be able to put on a production in three weeks, from writing it all the way down to producing it, putting it on,” Cunetto said. “And it definitely does create a little bit of tension as we get further … because they are having to nail down not just their acting, but their dancing and everything.”
Cunetto said students from all over the South audition to participate in Summer Scholars On Stage. Students who are going through the writing, songwriting or technical tracks already arrived earlier this week, while others will arrive this Saturday to join the production camp.
During the first week, campers create a script, which is then polished, produced and performed by the end of the third week.
Fritzius said this year, campers started out with more than 150 ideas regarding the show’s characters, plot, setting and themes before settling on the streaming service concept.
Fritzius called the process of creating the annual show the “most collaborative thing” campers will ever do as writers. He enjoys helping the students with suggestions, and then being surprised by their ideas in turn.
“My favorite thing is reading their script, and I see maybe a joke that isn’t as strong as it could be, or some dialogue. And I might suggest a fix for it, but nine times out of ten, what they come up with to replace my suggestion is infinitely better than my suggestion,” Fritzius said.
While some campers work to develop the script, others work to develop the musical’s songs.
Ryan Bergman, this year’s songwriting instructor, said he takes a similar approach, allowing students to guide the work.
“You want the kids to write as much as possible, and so you only start pushing them once you feel like they’re stuck,” Bergman said. “… Not all of them play instruments, or play universal instruments … so if we need guitar or piano or something, you can provide a chord structure or melody or something.”
Summer Scholars On Stage expanded this year to include a technical track for campers that are interested in the behind-the-scenes work of theater. Patrick McFayden, the technical director, said the new technical track brings students an opportunity for exposure to backstage skills they may not get otherwise, like set building and lighting.
“That’s what we really wanted to get started again, was a way for high school students to get exposure to a large lighting system that they may not have at their high schools, or building larger scale sets on a larger stage. … Or running multiple mics through the soundboard,” McFayden said.
Darianna Sims, a rising sophomore at Starkville High School, came to Summer Scholars On Stage for the first time this year on the technical track, saying she enjoys being behind the scene more than being on stage. She said she is excited to learn about lighting and to be a part of a larger whole, as the show comes together.
“It’s starting out slow now, but it’s going to pick up,” Sims said. “And I know that it’s going to get a little bit more hectic, but I know it’s the end (product) that counts.”
Keylon Mays-Moore is a recently graduated Starkville High School senior who is attending Summer Scholars for his fifth and final year as a songwriter. He said the program is a huge part of who he is today.
“I am more humble because of this program,” Mays-Moore said. “I’ve learned more about my gift because of this program. I practically grew up in this program. Yes, I go to school, but I find myself and more about myself in this program. I didn’t know I could play piano or drums or guitar until I joined Summer Scholars.”
For more information on Summer Scholars On Stage, visit summerscholarsonstage.msstate.edu/.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 42 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 42 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
