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South Jordan Journal

Bingham High theatre students to perform ‘Curtains’

Oct 28, 2016 12:27PM ● By Julie Slama

Bingham High School was represented by 48 students at the annual Utah Shakespeare High School Competition in Cedar City. Pictured here is the cast of “Henry IV Part 1” ensemble. (Liz Smith/Bingham High School)

By Julie Slama | [email protected]



South Jordan, Utah - Whodunnit? The Broadway musical murder-mystery comedy, “Curtains,” will be performed at Bingham High School in November, leaving audiences to try to solve the famous quote along with a police detective.

The show will be performed at 7 p.m., Friday, Nov. 18; Saturday, Nov. 19; Monday, Nov. 21; and Tuesday, Nov. 22 on the school’s stage found at 2160 West 10400 South. There also will be a 2 p.m. Saturday matinee. Tickets are $8 for general seating and $10 for premium and may be purchased on the school’s website.

The musical involves backstage murder mystery plots, set in 1959 and follows the fallout when the supremely untalented star of “Robbin’ Hood of the Old West,” who is murdered during her opening night curtain call. Lt. Frank Cioffi, a police detective who moonlights as a musical theater fan, is determined to save the show and solve the case, without getting killed himself. 

“The detective is a want-to-be actor who is trying to help fix the show despite trying to investigate the murder,” said Michelle Robbins, Bingham theatre director. “It is a really fun musical but different from so many of the classics.”

Junior Andy VanDongen will play the role of the detective. Other roles include the show producer Carmen Bernstein by junior Sydney Peebler, the show composer Aaron Fox by senior Brayden Rasmussen, the songwriter Georgia Hendricks performed by junior Roslyn Reeves, chorographer Bobby Pepper played by sophomore Jackson Halliday and the show’s star’s understudy Niki Harris, performed by sophomore Lauren Rios.

Tyan North is the show’s music director, and the choreographer is Lori Metcalf.

Robbins said she selected “Curtains” to give her students a greater variety to theater shows.

“We decided to cycle every three years between a huge spectacular to a classic to a contemporary so our students have a chance to experience all types of theater,” she said.. “It’s also a large ensemble show so it involves everyone.” 

Bingham’s theatre season kicked off in early October when 48 students competed along with more than 3,000 others from across the state and region at the annual Utah Shakespeare High School Competition in Cedar City.

The students competed in the 10-minute ensemble scene, monologues, duo scenes, dance ensemble, Technical Olympics and improvisation. 

“One of the main reasons we like to take students to the Shakespeare Competition is that it is a great bonding experience for the students,” said Bingham’s Shakespeare team director Liz Smith. “They also have an opportunity to meet students from other schools and be exposed to Shakespeare pieces that they might not otherwise have a chance to see.” 

A special honor was given to Bingham student Dylan Burningham, who received the Jimmy Fallon award. 

“More than 20 schools competed in the improv competition, and he received this award as the best MC out of all the improv teams,” she said.

The Shakespeare team also got to see two shows produced by the Utah Shakespeare Festival. 

“It is always fun for students to be exposed to professional theater and for them to see shows they haven’t seen before,” she said.

This year, some West Jordan High students joined Bingham for the experience. 

“The biggest highlight of the trip was seeing all of the students making new friends and going out of their way to befriend each other,” she said.