By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post
The Hays High Chamber Singers will provide a glimpse into the inner workings of the despised Disney villain Ja'far in its production of "Twisted: The Untold Story of the Royal Vizier."
"Twisted" will be presented at 7:30 tonight, Friday and Saturday at the 12th Street Auditorium. Tickets are $8 and can be purchased online or at the door.
"Twisted," in the same vein as the Broadway hit "Wicked," tries to show a more sympathetic view of the villain and his rise to power.
"One of the most major things that separates 'Twisted' from 'Aladdin,' " Andrew Duke, director, said, 'is you see Ja'far's backstory and how he went from being an optimistic young man to be a more jaded older person by the time of the events of the movie 'Aladdin.' "
Duke said audience members will begin to see Ja'far as not just an evil sorcerer, but someone who was trying to implement change in the government.
Tom Drabkin, HHS junior, plays the role of Ja'far. He said in "Twisted," Ja'far is the misunderstood hero.
"I just try to make sure he is as charming as he can be while still having that dark undertone to him," Drabkin said.
He said the musical is really funny if you grew up on Disney movies and adds many twists to the story you may not have seen in the original films.
"You may learn villains are not as bad as they seem," he said.
Drabkin, a tenor, also said the music in this production has stretched his vocal range.
The musical has adult humor and is recommended for those high school age and older.
The musical is entirely student acted and directed. Duke, HHS junior, is using the project to complete his requirements for his Eagle Scout award. HHS junior Caitlin Leiker is keeping the orchestra and cast on track as the music director/conductress.
HHS usually mounts a faculty-led musical in the fall and a play in the spring. This is the first student-led project of its kind in recent memory, Duke said.
“It's an unexpected challenge directing a musical like this,” Duke told Eagle Radio's Scott Boomer. “It has definitely been rewarding and a lot of fun to do, but it has also come with a lot of unexpected areas I had to learn, things that I had to help other people figure out.
“It’s been a new experience and its been really good.”
The cast and crew hit an exceptional hurdle Tuesday night when Alex Underwood, their sponsor and accompanist, was out sick. The cast banded together to make the best of a difficult situation.
Eliana Buller plays four characters in the musical and is in charge of the costumes as well.
“It’s kind of like an art project, I guess in a way,” she told the Bull earlier this week, “or like a big puzzle.”
“It is also very rewarding,” she said. “You can look at everything and say, ‘Wow, I did that.”
Sierra Adkins plays six different characters.
“It is really exciting,” she said in an interview with 101.9 the Bull. “This is one of the first musicals that I not only sing and have lines in, but I get to have multiple characters and get to do a lot of choreography and dancing, which is something I don’t have a lot of experience with.
"It has been really fun to learn all of those new experiences.”
Cast and Crew
- Tom Drabkin – Ja’far
- Katelyn Engel – Princess
- Kai Kaufman – Aladdin, Vendor, Soldier
- Gabe McGuire – Achmed, Book Shop Owner, Orphan, Vice Vizier, props
- Nathan Leiker – Captain, Aladdin’s Ex’s Father, Nobleman, Soldier #1
- Sam Vesper – Bread Seller, Vendor, Soldier, Vizier
- Marshall Perryman – Abdul, Baful, Soldier #3
- Da’Vontai Robinson – Gaston, crew
- Carson Brooksher – Baker, Vendor, Vizier, Sultan, Soldier, Scar, Djinn, props
- Zach Chance – Zach, Hawk, Guard, Gazeem, Soldier, props
- Hanna Dannar – Royal Vizier, Ursula, Townsperson, Vendor, Soldier
- Eliana Buller – Belle, Old Lady, Slave, Soldier, costuming
- Sydney Wittkorn – Vendor, Monkey, Thief, Soldier #2, Cruella
- Alisara Arial – Sherrezade, Townsperson, Orphan, Swallow-Tail, Soldier
- Ashley Vilaysing – Bird, Aladdin’s Ex, Vizier, Soldier, Maleficent
- Sierra Adkins – Townsperson, Slave, Vizier, Messenger, Soldier, Hook, costuming
- Sam Rider –Unhelpful Audience Member, house manager
- Alexis White – stage manager
- Aidan DeBey – lighting
- Alex Johnson – sound
- Tony Arial – spotlight
- Kari Satomi – poster design
- Andrew Duke-director
- Caitlin Leiker-music director/conductress