Morgan Buerster, daughter of Jason and Angie Buerster, will portray Sophie in the NCHS Musical production of Mamma Mia on March 30 through April 2. Tickets for the musical are now on sale in the NCHS office.
What musicals have you been in at NCHS and what characters/roles did you play?
I have been in Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat as a choir member the first year and as a wife the second year. I was in White Christmas as Esther Foster and I was in Beauty and the Beast as a Silly Girl.
What was your favorite musical and why?
My favorite musical has to be White Christmas. Our cast was such a close group and we got to tap dance which I loved. I also got to say “Ay-yup” a bunch and many people still answer to me with “Ay-yup.” I think it is super cool to see that I made such an impact on the crowd with a small part.
What scene in Mamma Mia is your favorite and why? (This does not have to be a scene you are in)
My favorite scene in Mamma Mia would have to be Lay All Your Love on Me. Even though it’s a love song, it is very comical when the boys enter on stage and start dancing. I have to keep myself from laughing because they do so well acting silly. It is the most fun for me and for others.
What are three things being in the musical has taught you? and how have you learned these?
My first lesson: It is okay to make mistakes. Out of anyone in musical, I probably make the most mistakes and it’s okay. Just smile and keep going.
My second lesson: You can make an impact no matter how small your actions are. In White Christmas, I was casted as Esther Foster. As I looked over the script for the first time I thought people would think I was stupid. But everyone laughed when I was on stage and I discovered that I was one of the most liked characters even though I was only on stage for a short time.
And my third lesson: Be confident. Like I said before, I make a ton of mistakes while I’m dancing but I just keep smiling through it. When the cast list came out for this musical I wasn’t sure that I could do it. I thought my voice wasn’t pretty enough and I forget everything all the time. But by the beginning of February, I was confidently hitting notes I never thought I could hit. Be confident in yourself 🙂
What are two pieces of advice you would give young people who want to start performing in musicals at NCHS?
Two pieces of advice I would give to young people in musical or considering musical would be work hard when no one’s watching and don’t take time for granted because it flies by.
What qualities do you see exemplified in the adults who help put on this show that you will take with you as you leave NCHS and how do they demonstrate these qualities?
A few qualities I see in the adults around me are hard work and dedication. Every year, compliments are made about our costumes. Our costumers come to almost every practice and work their tails off. They are often the last ones at practice after everyone is gone. The costumers stress over pieces that don’t get approved and they work so hard to fit the ideas of the directors. Thank you costumers! Our directors, set builders, and costumers take hours out of their evenings and free time to help us kids make this show possible. They are away from their families to help us. Special thanks to Dawn Colwell for coming to rehearsals and Saturday choreography. Our musicals wouldn’t be possible without you. Thank you!
What will you miss the most once the final curtain closes on your NCHS musical career?
When the curtain closes at the end of the final performance, I will miss all of the people I worked so close with through the years. I got to see everyone improve and I became close to people I thought I’d never talk to. I will miss the backstage jokes, the parking lot rants, and the goofy mistakes we all made. We’re all like a big family. I will miss the people I got to know in my musical career.
