Mountain High School is the third of five schools nominated for Outstanding Musical we will be featuring here in the DCPA NewsCenter in the days leading up to the May 26 Bobby G Awards at the Buell Theatre.

MOUNTAIN VIEW HIGH SCHOOL

Anything Goes
3500 Mountain Lion Drive, Loveland, 80537 MAP IT
WEB SITE 

The Mountain View High School Drama program is cleverly called C.I.A. – Caught In the Act Productions. It has been run for the past 10 years by Phil Forman (pictured right), also the Music Director for the Candlelight Dinner Playhouse’s current production of Into the Woods, starring Debby Boone. (She calls him “most wonderful.”) “We started with only 30 total kids auditioning and now have close to 100,” Forman said. “We average around 75 to 100 kids involved in our spring musical each year. This includes cast, tech, and pit orchestra.”

Reserve your seat for the May 26 Bobby G Awards

• Tell us a little about your school’s theatre tradition and history: Mountain View High School opened in 2000 and began producing several shows a year. In 2008, our production of Seussical was awarded an Honorable Mention for Best Musical in Colorado in USAWeekend. In certain years we produce a straight play in the fall, a spring musical and an additional show in the late spring that has included student-directed and student-written works, small-scale musicals and variety shows.  For the past four years, we have hosted Day of the Arts. Students from area middle schools come over and view the production in the morning, eat lunch with our company and then take master classes in various art forms in the afternoon. Our students and creative team help run the workshops, which have included: Learning a vocal piece from our current show and performing it alongside actual cast members; makeup; dance and visual arts (drawing, photography, jewelry). Band kids learn what it is like to play in the orchestra pit by learning a number from the show and playing it along with one of our leads actors. Our mission is to expose students to world of the arts and allow them to explore their specific passions. We also have been lucky to host several guest artists to allow kids the opportunity to experience professionals in musical theatre. 
• Your program goals: We have a saying: “Broadway at Mountain View.” While we stop at nothing to create a Broadway experiences for kids, our essential mission is to create well-rounded critical thinkers, problem solvers, and passionate, dedicated, hard-working individuals. We also place an emphasis on teamwork and how each individual has to commit to excellence for the betterment of the entire company.
• What kind of general support do you get? We are self-funded through ticket sales, donations and some district money on occasion. There is quite a bit of collaboration with adults and the community to help make sure our students are successful. Our administration is incredibly supportive and is always willing to help support endeavors such as the Bobby G Awards program.
• What would you say to a younger student at your school who might be nervous or unsure about participating in the performing arts? You never know if you’ll like it if you don’t try. Our philosophy is to cast each grade level in every production. For 90 percent of the shows, we do not cast based on seniority. However, we cast who is best for each role. Don’t be shy and get to know your cast, crew, pit and creative team. We are here for everyone to succeed and to help you grow in our program and in your artistic endeavors. There is a difference between positive and negative nerves. Positive nerves that are created from feeling well-prepared as opposed to negative nerves, which are created from a lack of preparation.
• What does it mean to your school for your show to be nominated for Outstanding Musical by the Bobby G Awards? We are humbled by the recognition of the hard work by our students and staff in these productions. It is an incredible opportunity for our students to perform on The Buell Theatre stage. That experience alone is well worth the months of hard work that goes into producing each production at Mountain View.
• What does this whole experience tell you about the value of arts education and extracurricular activities at your school? Mountain View is home to the Loveland Integrated School of the Arts with an emphasis on arts-integrated core classes. Students have multiple opportunities for arts education in both performing and visual arts throughout their time in high school. The students’ recognition through the Bobby G Awards has helped to raise the awareness of the great opportunities available for our students. We are grateful for such an incredible awards program that recognizes the art form of musical theatre at the high-school level. 

More Colorado theatre coverage on the DCPA NewsCenter

Mountain View High School’s Bailey Friar and Tammy Johnson are nominated for Outstanding Choreography.

Mountain View High School’s 2016 Bobby G Award nominations

• Overall Production of a Musical (Anything Goes)
• Actress in a Leading Role: Savannah Wood, Reno Sweeney
• Musical Direction: Phil Forman, Bryan Kettlewell and Peter Toews
• Hair and Makeup Design: Averi Davis and Emma Smith
• Costume Design: Jen Bleem, Cindy Sipes and Lauryn Starke
• Scenic Design: Shailyn Clay, Tyler King, Rebecca Reynolds and Lucas Sanchez
• Choreography: Bailey Friar and Tammy Johnson
• Lighting Design: Jude Franco and Tanner Friar
• Chorus
• Orchestra
  
  

Previous 2016 Outstanding Musical Nominee profiles:
Cherry Creek High School
Fairview High School
Mountain View High School
Denver School of the Arts
Arvada West High School

Bobby G Awards: Ticket information

Selected recent NewsCenter coverage of the Bobby G Awards:
2016 Bobby G Award nominations: The complete list
Bobby G Awards a triumph for Durango High School
Video: Outstanding Actor Nominee Performances
Video: Bobby G Award winners sing National Anthem at Rockies game
Video: The Acceptance Speeches
Video: A look at Durango’s Outstanding Musical, Les Misérables
Photos: The 2015 Bobby G Awards. (Download for free)
Andre’ Rodriguez’s stirring Bobby G Awards speech
Video: See how we introduced all 30 participating schools
Video: Page to Stage highlights with Bobby G Awards winners
Meet your Bobby G Awards nominees, in their own words
Video: Coloradans on Broadway to high-schoolers: ‘Be relentlessly yourself’
2014-15 Bobby G Awards: Complete list of nominations