13soundtrack: “How to apply for a job” How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying Cast03•18•10musical

Choir teacher Julia Dale laughs about the time in her life when her father wanted her to be a scientist. She went to science camps, took student science courses over the summer, and built rockets.

“I had parentally inflicted geek-ness,” Dale said. Secretly, she didn’t want to be a scientist. What she

really wanted was to be a teacher.Dale did not break the news about her dreams to her

father until junior year of high school. She wanted to put it off as long as she could, but her heart was already set.

“I was a teacher’s assistant for Mr. P [one of her teach-ers],” said Dale. “He really identified that teaching bug in me. I was hooked on teaching, and I really just wanted to teach anything.”

The obvious choice for Dale was to be a music teacher, as music was a constant part of her life. She started playing piano in first grade and was a choir mem-ber throughout high school.

She went to college at the Eastman School of Music in New York City, and she graduated with a degree in music education with a vocal emphasis. While at East-man, Dale participated in operas and often had to travel to South Carolina to perform with her school. After graduating, she taught for three years in upstate New York and then went back to school to achieve her Masters in choral conducting.

“I am now qualified to teach any music,” Dale said, “but I don’t think you’d want me to be your teacher in just anything.”

Dale was the director of the musical, “How to Suc-ceed in Business Without Really Trying.” Before this musical, she was the vocal director for three others and participated in seven musicals during high school. It was easy for Dale to choose this year’s musical.

“[The musical] had so many little parts in it so that everyone gets to feel ownership, which I think is really important,” said Dale. “It is also not well known. I didn’t want to choose something like ‘Grease’ that everyone already knows. Anyone can sing ‘Greased Lightning,’ but no one knows this show.”

Once she chose the musical, Dale struggled casting all of those who auditioned.

“There’s too much talent at Rock Canyon,” Dale said. “There were multiple people to fit each role, and it was hard to decide who would be best.”

She had to convince the people who were disap-pointed with their roles that there was a reason they were cast that way, and that they would fit their role well. She had trouble denying people the role they really wanted, but there was no way around it.

“It breaks your heart as a director,” Dale said, “but the kids eventually realize there is a reason I cast them that

way.”“Finch was the only character I knew of genuinely

because it is the lead and I wasn’t very familiar with the show,” said Sean Kovacs ‘10, who played an executive secretary, Mr. Jones.

“But I wasn’t banking on getting that role,” Kovacs said. “Dale and I talked through the role I got and I started to see that it was a very exciting role. It was one of my favorite roles I’ve ever had.”

While directing, Dale focused on making the kids who are usually only in plays feel comfortable with the music portion, and the choir students comfortable with acting.

“This year, we have really started blending the two departments [drama and choir],” said Dale. “Most of the students who participate in the musical are from choir so they already have the music part down, so the main focus was the acting.”

After putting an endless amount of time and energy into the show, the choir students were able to warm up to acting and feel completely comfortable on stage.

“I had never acted before so it was tough in the beginning because I just wasn’t aware of the basics,” said Madeline Gardner ‘11. “I really didn’t get fully into my character until I put on my costumes two weeks ago.”

The cast of the musical constantly supported each other and the experienced actors helped those who were less experienced.

“Mrs. Dale was great to work with,” said Gardner. “She was just very patient with me and gave me lots of ideas to work with and demonstrated things. I wouldn’t have been able to do it without her.”

The experience of directing the musical overall has been an amazing one for Dale, though not every mo-ment of directing hit a perfect note.

“[One of] the hardest parts of directing is probably the hours, and also thinking of every little detail,” she said. “I have to keep track of everyone’s props, when they are needed, where they are, and things like that. But the [real] hard part is actually keeping all of that fun at the same time.”

Since this is the first musical Dale has directed here, the students have gotten to know and respect her as not only a choir teacher but also a director.

“Dale had great visions for the show and she really expected nothing but the best from everyone,” said Gardner. “I’m glad she pushed us as much as she did. It’s cool that she had so much faith in everyone.”

“My favorite part is seeing the kids excel, take risks, and try new things,” said Dale. “And to see them realize that they are good at that.”

Paige Newman

Parentally inflicted geek-ness‘How to succeed’ actors face the music

Always has her tongue out In these two photos, Director Julia Dale leads the cast in warm ups on opening night. Top: Dale had the actors stretch out the muscles in their faces so that they spoke clearly on stage. She stuck her tongue out here to help prepare her actors, but often is making faces at her students to tease them. Above: Dale sits down and leads the cast through musical warm ups (sans tongue) so that they are already perform-ing to the best of their abilities when they take the stage. Photos by Alex Rowe

Sticking to the book Ben Hilzer ‘10, playing J. Pierpont Finch, checks his guide to how to rise in the business world during a dress rehearsal. Photos by Alex Rowe

Director brings life-long love of music and theater to her first Rock Canyon musical