Three Mahomet youth, Sydney Brown, Kenny Pauley and Evan Forbes, are involved in the Champaign Urbana Theatre Company’s (CUTC) production of “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers” at Parkland College this weekend.
Set in Oregon in 1850, “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers” follows Millie, a young bride, who plans to marry off her six rowdy brothers-in-law to save her own marriage. The “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers” play was adapted from the 1954 musical film in 1978 by Lawrence Kasha.
Brown, who has also performed in the MSHS “Footloose,” “Oliver!,” “Oklahoma” and “Fiddler on the Roof” productions, will play a town girl in “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.” She has also performed in CUTC’s “West Side Story” and Parkland College’s “A Christmas Carol.”
“I decided to join this production because I love theatre, and I can’t get enough of it,” Brown said. “CUTC puts on really great productions, and this is the annual student production, so it is a great opportunity to meet other people who enjoy theatre as much as I do.”
Although Brown’s role is primarily chorus, she really enjoys being able to develop her own character in the setting of a larger production.
“I love acting,” she said. “I always have. In theatre, you get the opportunity to play characters who are sometimes nothing like you and sometimes exactly like you, but regardless you get to be pushed out of your comfort zone. I love that. Most shows have an underlying lesson or moral. I love getting to share that with the community.”
Forbes was approached about working as the Lighting Designer and Sound Engineer by Producer Joe Murphy in early May. He also supports Pauley as the Sound Engineer.
Forbes has worked backstage at Parkland since 2012, and worked in CUTC’s “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying,” “Legally Blonde,” “Les Miserables,” and “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.”
“I like lighting because it’s another way to support the telling of the story,” he said. “Lighting draws the audience’s eye to the place they should be focused on to fully enjoy their theatrical experience.”
Both Forbes and Brown plan to take their experiences in theatre with them to the next level as they go off to college. Brown will minor in theatre at the University of Mississippi, and plans to be involved with the theatre program as much as possible.
After working on CUTC’s production of “Mary Poppins” this summer, Forbes will pursue a degree in Design and Technology. He hopes to work in theatre arts in the Chicago area before bringing what he has learned by the Mahomet and Champaign-Urbana.
Shows run June 19 through 21 at 7:30 p.m., and a 2:30 p.m. matinee on June 22.
