While the spring semester is still far from most students’ minds, those involved in Asbury’s annual Sophomore Musical (SOMU) tradition have begun preparations for the spring performance. This year, the Beloved class will take a crack at the well-known Asbury tradition featuring the much-loved musical “The Sound of Music.”
The Beloved class SOMU will be under the direction of Jazmyn Lorentzen, a theatre major and Beloved class member. While Lorentzen was considering several different options for the musical, she eventually decided on “The Sound of Music” because she “wanted a female lead. I felt very strongly about that because I know some girls in my class who are so talented, and I wanted to use that,” said Lorentzen.
The lead roles will be played by Abby Woodward and Adam Biller who will play Maria and Captain Von Trapp respectively. The lead nuns will be played by Gentry Osbourn as Mother Abbess, Abigail Beck as Sister Margaretta, Lauren Boye as Sister Sophia, and Rachel Gay as Sister Berthe.
Additionally, when Lorentzen approached the class cabinet with her idea for the musical, she found strong support for her musical choice in Dr. Brittany Polis, the Beloved class advisor.
“‘The Sound of Music’ kept coming back into my head, so when I went to my interview I was like, ‘the top of my list for musicals for next year is “The Sound of Music,”’ said Lorentzen. “Brittany, our class advisor loves Sound of Music, just last week she said I wish we could do “The Sound of Music.”’ I thought that was a crazy God moment that I had said that, and they were already hoping for it.”
Lorentzen may be the director, but she emphasized that it is alongside her team that she will bring the musical to Asbury’s student body. As soon as she received the role of director, Lorentzen began building her team and reaching out to students for roles such as designing sets, costumes and makeup.
“I have Kaja Jaques, Monique Caraman, Jocelyn Schulte, Lucy Cunningham who is my stage manager, Keturah Cook who is my choreographer, Mikah Saub who is my vocal director and Audrey Harris who is my assistant director,” said Lorentzen.
Lorentzen expressed that her team was especially helpful during the audition process as their unique insights aided in the process of choosing individuals for the roles, “it’s been really great to have them.”
One of the highlights of the Sophomore musical is that auditioning is open to any member of the sophomore class, without any major requirements.
“It’s been really cool seeing people I’m like ‘I don’t know you, you’re a chemistry major, we’ve never talked before, but you’re here and you’re really talented,’” said Lorentzen. “I just think it’s great how anybody is allowed to be in it. You don’t have to have any theater or musical experience. You get to know people who you would have never met before.”
The sophomore musical will be Lorentzen’s first directing experience, and there is a lot she is looking forward to.
“I really love everybody I have been working with so far. They all respect my opinion, but I usually ask their opinions about things. I like being the boss but being a collaborative boss,” said Lorentzen. “I’m just looking forward to getting to know everyone better, I don’t want it to be stressful, I just want it to be a fun experience.”
However, to make this experience happen, there is a lot of work to be done between now and the opening of the musical on Feb. 27.
“We will be working on a lot of stuff. There will be memorizing, there will be blocking scenes, learning the songs where our vocal director will teach the nuns the four-part women’s harmony, which is really hard. Then there will also be choreography teaching, costume fittings and hopefully a couple cast parties so we can get to know each other.”
Understanding the cast and their unique talents is an important part of Lorentzen’s vision for the musical.
“A lot of people know ‘The Sound of Music,’ and I want to make it fun and unique to our class. Showing off a random talent would be cool because it is specific to people in our cast.”
Lorentzen shared how excited she is to work on the musical and to create something everyone involved can be proud of. But more than that, the musical is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that will be cherished by all involved and especially those who don’t often grace the stage.
“You’ll never do this again in your life basically. That’s the kind of experience it is. Of course, with my theater stuff I might direct another show in my life, but not with these people, with my classmates who I want to collaborate with. It’s a really cool Asbury tradition.”
