Bottin leads first spring musical at PAC

There’s a first time for everything, and in the case of the Blooming Prairie High School musical, the “firsts” just keep coming.

The first spring musical in decades will be presented at 7 p.m. April 5 and at noon April 6. It’s also the first high school drama performed in the school’s new performing arts center.

The cast of 25 will present “Oklahoma!,” the story of a farm girl who is courted by two suitors, a cowboy and a farmhand. Background themes are the territory’s aspiration for statehood and the local conflict between cattlemen and farmers.

“It’s all student-driven,” said Kari Bottin, choir director for Blooming Prairie schools, who is taking the reins of a musical for the first time.

For several years, Bottin has been the music director for the fall productions; Tamzen Johnson has for decades directed the BPHS fall musicals.

“It’s a whole different role for me, for sure,” Bottin said during a recent rehearsal. “Our seniors picked the show; that makes it easier for me, if you have a show in mind already. I can work with that.”

Still, she said, “it’s been challenging; I didn’t want to burden Tammy, because she’s so busy with tax season, so it was really good for me to figure things out on my own.”

Johnson, a CPA, is still involved, though.

“I’m kind of the helper,” she said. “I’ve done sets and choreography and costumes – and some directing, just because I can’t be quiet. I really want to be respectful of Kari; she’s leading this, and that’s the way it should be. Help is help: It is not being in charge.”

Eric Vigeland, the technology coordinator for the school district, is an assistant director. Tanya Fennell and Aaron Fennell are handling much of the music duties.

On a recent afternoon, a technician was in the auditorium working on the sound system, which was not yet installed.

New spotlights for the space will likely not arrive in time for the performances, “so we’re hauling in our old spotlights, which is fine, but now we need to teach (the crew) how to operate them in here, because it’s so different from what we had before,” Bottin said.

That being said, the auditorium has “more lights than we’ve ever seen,” Johnson said. “It just all needs to be set up.”

The construction delays have meant limited rehearsal time in the auditorium.

“We’ve been mostly in my classroom, a little bit in the gym when we can,” Bottin said.

A strong season for the boys basketball team also affected the early rehearsals, which is common in smaller schools where students are involved in multiple extra-curriculars.

Kolby Vigeland, a member of the team, plays Curly McLain, one of the lead roles.

“We miss him here, but Kolby is Kolby,” Bottin said, “and he works so hard that I know it’s going to be fine. We miss his energy, but I’m happy for the basketball team. It’s exciting for them.”

Despite the bumps in the road, “this is so much better,” she said of the new facility. “Even though we don’t have everything up and running yet, we’re getting closer every day. It’s been really fun to be in the space, just for the kids to get used to how big the stage is. It’s so different.”

The large cast includes seven eighth-graders and 10 seniors – some who will make their musical debut in “Oklahoma!”

“I just think of all the skills they gather,” Bottin said. “Being in front of people on a stage, singing and dancing and acting, is really a lifelong skill for these kids – and they don’t even realize yet how much they’ll benefit from this.”

After the April 6 matinee, the directors and administrators will offer backstage tours of the performing arts center. The hope is that people in town for the Education Foundation auctions that day will take advantage of the tours.

“A lot of people haven’t been in here yet,” Bottin said, “so I think it’ll be a wonderful opportunity to see the facility in its entirety, because it really is beautiful.”

Blooming Prairie Musical

What: “Oklahoma!”

When: April 5 at 7 p.m.; April 6 at noon; April 7 at 1 p.m.

Where: Blooming Prairie High School Performing Arts Center

Tickets: Watch the BPPS Facebook page and the district’s website for information