The Laird bought us season tickets for the Black Hills Community Theater. Friday was the first one: School of Rock.
It was a great deal of fun. We walked to Rapid City High School, at least that’s what’s chiseled over the entryway (there is more than one high school in the city and I have no idea what their names are). The building is amazing. At some point, not that long ago, a LOT of money was poured into restoring it. It’s an old school building, so it was built when natural light mattered and doesn’t look like a prison. All the windows and doors have been replaced on the outside. On the inside, the original wood and plaster were restored. So very deco, if a bit echoing.
The theater! Nice comfy seats (although without cup holders) with wide aisles. A bit of stadium seating rise, but not a mountainous slope. YUGE stage, about half of which could be curtained off. It wasn’t for this show. The set, with the band on top, took up the “stage” space and the play was presented in the part that stuck out beyond the curtainable area. I’m sure there’s a word for that, but I don’t know it.
The actors were all locals. The high school kids were high school kids. They were good! A few of the songs stretched their voices a bit beyond their skills/training, but high schoolers! The principle could sing! I’m not a musical person, so I don’t have the words to describe it. Her voice was just good; amazingly clear and understandable. One of the students knocked Amazing Grace out of the park.
There were a couple of microphones that could have been better leveled and one that needed a new battery (or had some other technical fault), but that was the only flaw.
I’m very impressed. I’m even thinking of volunteering. Oh, and they’re not a cult.
Marked Up 