Good morning and welcome to the WXCO morning report part of mornings with Pat Cricklow on 98.9 WXCO.
I am Chad Holmes along with Ian Welsh.
Ian, good morning.
Good morning, John.
We will have more from Ian in just a little bit, but first we are very happy to welcome back.
to the program from the Wausau Conservatory of Music, Brent and Kanise.
Brent, good to see you.
Good morning.
Can't get to see
you.
Absolutely.
And I think last year we talked about this event as well, the Wausau Conservatory of Music in its annual Winter Wonderland Cabaret in December.
I know it's a very important event.
Before we talk about this event though, I was peeking around on your Facebook page and a little bit more.
And recently we've had the opportunity to speak to a number of area performers from
high schools and I saw a posting recently last few weeks actually was like less than two weeks ago talking about the number of the performers at these different high school
productions at Everest and at West and at East and other local performers that have studies at the Washington conservatory music.
It really jumped out.
I mean, it's not just a few.
I mean, there are a lot of these performers that are being trained at the conservatory, isn't there?
Absolutely.
It's a lot.
And musical theater in Marathon County is huge, which is kind of surprising.
But last week, I think two weeks ago, there were five high school shows in the area.
That's crazy.
I've never seen that many at once.
I think it shows that there's a need for the arts in the area and what the conservatory does is it welcomes students who want to take their talent to the next level so we have private lessons and We had a voice teacher who just started with us Last year and her studio is full this year.
She has 37 students since she started with zero so to go from zero to that many students is
Wonderful to see the amount of students who want to Excel and their talents and grow and you look at these lists and a lot of these students who study with us Whether they're in musical theater or they're in band.
They're highly recognized for their talents So if you if you have a child and you see the potential them or if you personally feel like you want to explore an instrument or
maybe develop an old hobby you had.
The Conservatory was a perfect place for you to take a half hour out of your day and just enjoy what you love to do in life and display your talent
to the community.
I know that you've been around here for a while.
I've been around here for a while.
In fact, many, many years ago, I could put my toe into some performing, but every time I go now is I'm amazed by the level.
It really is and it's not just saying oh, it's much more talented people I think what you said is actually important that There is a want to really maximize the talent that they're willing to do The hard work in order to be as good as possible and that's where the conservatories come in and you mentioned the number of students for a new instructor being signed up I imagine that if you look back maybe at the last decade the numbers
I imagine have exploded over the last number of years.
Yes.
Well, the conservatory in 2026, we'll be celebrating 45 years.
Now, that's a long time to be in central Wisconsin.
But, and there's always been growth.
Absolutely.
But within the past couple of years, voice especially has really taken flight and expanded.
A piano is our number one instrument that people will take, which makes sense.
But voice is the strong second.
So being able to see the the shift I think what a Positive side effect of what COVID did was and made people want to do more with their life because you know Inside all day and then they have the opportunity to do stuff So why not try something new and I think with being able to explore like I said old hobbies once again, or maybe just try something new we have
a ukulele choir, we have a guitar choir, a lot of these are new classes and we've seen a lot of interest with people taking that.
So by being able to expand what we offer and our children's choir that was dormant for many years, we revived it last year.
We have over 50 kids in that choir.
So being able to offer the community what they want and being able to
show that at our Winter Wonderland Cabaret, for example.
It's a great way to not only show the community what we offer, but also just display the talent in our community.
How many classes are there?
I mean, what you're talking here, when you talk about ukulele, that means that seems very narrow.
It's very specific.
Very specific.
And you talk about general voice and piano like that.
Any idea how many classes or maybe how many different types of classes you have?
Well, we have classes for all ages.
We have a music together class that is for.
three months old, I believe, is the starting age.
And I believe that goes to three years and 11 months.
I want to interview one of these three-month-olds, though.
That's our most popular class that typically sells out within the first hour we put it out, because a lot of studies have shown that when you have a young child at that age, it's the perfect time to not only learn music, but
create a connection with the parent and just learn basic motor skills.
And that's what music can do.
So music is important at any age, but especially when you're that demographic.
We also have a rhythm kit.
That's a extension of that younger class.
And that's from four to eight year olds.
Again, that's expanding those motor skills, learning more connecting with the parent.
That involves more drums and world drums and stuff like that.
We have a music appreciation class that's geared more towards adults So some music history you're learning about a specific subject or a specific composer and just learning their impact in the world of music we have a few violin and viola classes string classes and As I mentioned, we have our harmony hive choir.
We offer two sessions of that one for
younger children and preteens.
And then we have our guitar choir, our ukulele choir.
So a lot of different offerings that anyone could explore.
And even if you're new to this instrument, we always welcome you because that's what's great about learning as a group.
You don't have to be an expert, you know, wherever you are.
It's a great way to see if you like the instrument at a lower cost than signing up for private lessons, seeing if it's for you.
And if it is for you, then you can switch over to a private lesson and still be able to take the class.
We will have more with Brent and Kanese and talk specifically about the Winter Wonderland event coming very soon to the Wausau Conservatory of Music.
We'll be back at 722 here on 98.9 WXCO.
It is the WXCO morning report on 98.9 WXCO part of mornings with Pat Krightlope.
I am Chad Holmes along with Ian Welsh.
Again, we're talking to Brenton Kniece, watch the Conservatory of Music is coming up on December the 5th at the Conservatory.
It is their annual Winter Wonderland Cabaret.
And this is something that is important in terms of being able to continue what you do at the Conservatory.
This is this is one of those significant events, isn't it?
Yes, this is our biggest event in the year.
Our fundraiser gal in March, that's our most
important event because that's what helps us fund our tuition assistance and scholarship program.
But this is the event, the Wonder Wonderland Cabaret is the event where we really get to show the community what we offer.
It's $5 admission, so it's low cost.
And some people question why we're doing it the same night as the holiday parade.
Sometimes there's people on certain demographics who maybe can't sit out and watch a parade for that long a time.
Some people, you know,
who are not able to do that.
This is just an alternative event.
And what's nice about the cabaret is it's an open house style event.
So you can come and go from six to nine p.m.
We'll have four rooms of entertainment from conservatory students and outside groups, including the Central Wisconsin Jury Ensemble from the Grand Theater.
And we'll have appetizers, holiday cookies, hot chocolate, coffee.
It's just a great way to ring in the holiday season.
while being community focused, you know, seeing what's happening in the arts in the community, and being able to take some time out of your day, even if it's for a half hour, you know, you get to see, discover so much talent.
We'll have another outside group called Flute Loops, so it's four flute performers, and how often do you see that?
So being able to attend this event, again, if you want to go out to the parade, that's great, and then you can stop by.
the conservatory later, so it's welcome to everybody.
And you mentioned the talent.
You said five dollars.
I mean, that is basically nothing.
I mean, it really is for the amount of talent and you said the four different rooms of entertainment and just mentioning again, we said the conservatory students themselves.
I mean, they've been on stage recently and just wallowing folks throughout Central Wisconsin in these high school performances.
And we've talked about the Central Wisconsin Jerry ensemble as well.
I mean, the incredible level of talent.
that will be involved in those
four
rooms.
That is, I mean, it really is, it's a special amount of talent in one place.
Yeah, and there's something for everyone.
It's not just gonna be all singing, they'll have piano, like in our appetizer and reception room, that's gonna have some piano, some guitar music.
We'll feature in our concert hall, again, the Jerry Ensemble as well as our guitar and ukulele choirs.
Harmony Hive will be collaborating with the Central Wisconsin Jerry Singer, so that'll be nice to see those two groups and perform something special.
And again, it's just being able to see, even if you don't have, if you don't know anyone who attends the Conservatory, it's a great way just to see what we offer.
Welcome you into our building, see what it's like.
It's hidden kind of right off a grand aft, so you think everyone know where it is, but...
Not everybody does.
It's
not right on the road.
It's actually backed up a little bit.
So I think it's a great way for people to see what we offer and maybe if it's of any interest to anyone, if they say, oh, I'd like to do this.
It's a great way to see what you can do and just enjoy the holiday spirit with the community.
And I guess I want to kind of underline.
that aspect.
Again, I've talked about the kids and all this.
One aspect that is important to note is that it's never too late to put your toe in the water when it comes to developing a skill within the many genres that you do teach.
at the conservatory, correct?
Yes, we have students from three months old to 93 years old, so anywhere in between.
So like I said earlier, it's never too late to explore an old hobby.
If you played an instrument that you love playing when you were younger, you still have that instrument or you just want to get back into it, it's a great way to just dive in and see what happens.
Yes, we do have recital opportunities, but if you just want to...
work each week with an instructor and just to learn more about the instrument and just for your own personal enjoyment.
You know, I think this is a the conservatory is a perfect place to
Explore those opportunities.
How many instructors are there right now?
I mean it seems like you have quite a few instructors.
Yes,
we have 22.
Yeah, I mean that's It really it's a mini university isn't it absolutely and also want to just underline as well I like the idea of the the appetizers the treats the hot chocolate.
I mean it really is a Wonderful you say a winter wonderland.
It is truly
a
winter wonderland of entertainment and also that that pre Christmas feel
with some of the snacks as
well.
Yes, we treat it as a community holiday party.
And there's really no event like this out there that anyone can gather and just enjoy food, enjoy the music.
We decorate the conservatory, we'll start that soon.
So being able to deck out the conservatory with all its holiday cheer, everyone is welcome.
And again, it's just a great night for people to see what we offer.
maybe join in on the fun and join us next semester if you like what you see.
Is it something that you should buy tickets in advance for?
We do encourage that because I remember last time I was here I think you interviewed me on the Monday and then the event was on a Friday we already sold out so that was an interesting interview but we did have tickets at the door and we will have the same this year just for you know capacity we have to
make sure we cap at a certain amount of tickets.
So yes, tickets are on sale.
We do encourage them to purchase them in advance at wassaconservatory.org slash wonderland.
We will have as well on our show notes.
We can get the podcast of our discussion and the program.
We'll have that.
that link for you to go to the website and order those tickets.
And again, general admission tickets are $5, children five and younger, those three months, those that you're trying to get in through the doors, they will be admitted for free as well.
Just check out the website generally wassaconservatory.org for information on what they provide and this event as well.
So again, wassaconservatory.org slash Wonderland.
Get those tickets early because as Brenton said a year ago, they did sell it off.
and you want to make sure you're part of it.
Anything we're forgetting here before we wrap
it
up?
I don't think so.
We're very much looking forward to the event and we're so glad to see all these community groups come together, play for the first time.
or play for the 50th time.
You know, it's a great way to ring in the holiday season and there's no better way than attending the cabaret.
Brenton, Canis, Washington conservatory music always good to see you.
Good to see you Chad, thank you.
We'll take a quick break and then come back with more.
It is the WXCO morning report part of mornings with Pat Krightlow on 98.9 WXCO.
Good morning again.
The time is 7.53.
It is Tuesday, November the 25th of 2025.
Countdown to Thanksgiving is down to two days.
Yep, there's two days away from Thanksgiving and overcast guys here at our studios at the corner of Washington Street and North Third Street in downtown Wasup.
currently 42 degrees.
I am Chad Holmes along with Ian Welsh.
It is the WXCO morning report.
Part of mornings with pack right low on 98.9 WXCO online at wxco.fm mobile devices and Alexa by searching WXCO and on the civic media app.
Thanks again to Brent and kines for joining us this morning from the waster conservatory of music.
And again, as I mentioned at the end of our discussion that coming up at about nine o'clock or so, we will have
our podcast up for today's episode and you'll have a link where you can go and buy those tickets to the Winter Wonderland event coming up in just about a little more than a week's time, a week
from
Friday.
And again, it's really amazing the amount of talent that you'll be able to see for just $5.
It's a fantastic event and it's always fun to hear from Brenton and the incredible work that they do at the Conservatory in terms of
the talent that is nurtured here in North Central Wisconsin.
We talk so often about all the great talent and I did see on the conservatory Facebook page a listing of the recent folks that we've actually had on this program of kids from Wausau West and Wausau East and DC Everest parts of their
Fall shows in many of those kids that were part of those fall shows are studying as well at the conservatory So if you're awesome somebody that wants to nurture your skills and as Brenton said as well It's from age three months to about 92 years It's never too late.
That's again something that I think we should underline
It's never too late for a fresh start.
It's never too late to try different things
absolutely
to see maybe that you have some
of special skill that you've never nurtured even if you're as old as I am coming up on number 55 here in the next week or so and it makes me a little you know sad as I get older and older and older but for myself and for others if you have something that you've always wanted to try and if it involves something in the arts like that the conservatory deals with whether it is
The ukulele or something like that.
I mean, that's what we heard where that could be very much something that is Maybe not top of mind, but they will be able to
age you in some way so check
out
the wasa conservatory and again Listen to the podcast you can go to our youtube channel youtube.com And you can actually hear and see our conversation with brenton kines right now if you want to as well so
that's
right And again, we will have as part of our show notes when you go to our website wxco.fm You'll see the news section.
You'll see the morning report and also our daily news update as well Just click on today's morning report.
You'll be able to then get the link to the conservatory
and be able to buy those tickets before they are gone and like we heard last year they go fast and Make sure you want to be part of it coming up a week from Friday night.
Hey Today is the last one 42 right now.
It's gonna start to get cold It's gonna get snowy.
We've been talking about when is the snow gonna come?
Yeah, the snow is coming tomorrow.
We actually I think we're gonna have some accumulating snow tomorrow
And
you're really nice to see that.
I don't know
about that, but It's gonna be it's gonna blow in and actually it's gonna be a rainy day We had a little quite a bit of rain last evening.
It came.
Oh, yes I
was driving home last lately yesterday afternoon early evening I stopped at the grocery store came out and the rain was starting and then I could hear the rain continuing throughout the rest of the evening and Today look for a lot of rain, especially after 11 a.m.
Then tonight it'll start rain
then turn to snow after five a.m.
tomorrow and then snow during the day tomorrow mainly before 4 p.m.
Patchy blowing snow as well and look for somewhere between one and three inches of snow tomorrow
and that I
was gonna say it that leads to our annual
piece of
advice because the first time that it snows it's been such a long time since we've had to deal with that kind of weather
Yeah.
You forget that when it does get snowy and icy out there, that you can't continue to drive the same way that you did during the spring and the summer and the fall.
You have to allow that extra time.
You have to make sure you test your brakes going into stop signs, which I have been, which I have been working on.
I'm still working on it, but it is getting better.
But you just, you know,
Driving in a snow is not the same as driving in a rain.
It's more You know, especially when it gets a super cold in it it turns into ice and then you really have to be careful because You know sometimes it can just Yeah, it can lead to accidents and then you end up just you know Wasting a time instead of saving time a few extra seconds is not going to save anybody's time
just well you said
I was it last year you got yourself into a little fender bender.
Yes, I am warning from that.
Well, you better be because I
made a
mistake and I'm
trying to make up
for it.
I expect you to be the safest driver out there this year.
So that is that going to be your goal too?
Absolutely.
You can hold me to that.
I promise
I will keep up that.
Promise.
I
don't want to hear about you getting into any fender benders
this winter.
No fender benders going wrong directions and none
of that.
And you folks out there, I don't want to hear about you people getting into any fender benders.
So again, we will keep you up to speed on the weather as it turns wintery starting tomorrow.
Yes.
One to three inches and that'll be like the first significant snow that we've had here during this
late fall, early winter.
It's going to be interesting.
We'll be back.
We will have Ian and his number for the day quiz coming up.
He's one for one.
We'll be back in 822 here on WXEL.
WXCO morning reports, part of mornings with Pat Crite Low on 98.9 WXCO, online at wxco.fm mobile devices and Alexa by searching WXCO and on the Civic Media app.
The time is 8.23.
Currently overcast guys and 42 degrees here in downtown Wausau at our WXCO studios at the corner of Washington Street and North Third Street.
Expecting some rain as we get later into the day, especially after 11 o'clock.
And of course we expect some snow coming tonight into tomorrow.
So we'll have some more details on that coming up.
Just want to remind you as well that tonight we have not one but two high school sports broadcasts here on 98.9 WX.
I will be at the Marathon Park Ice Arena this evening as the Central Wisconsin Storm Girls hockey team starts off their 2025-2026 season playing host to the Lakeshore Lightning.
We'll have live coverage starting with the pregame show at 6 35 and the opening face-off at 7 p.m.
That storm hockey tonight live right here on 98.9 WXCO online at wxco.fm mobile devices and Alexa by searching WXCO and on the civic media app That should be enough, but nope that is not enough because Tom Weaver will be heading to marathon tonight as the New Macathic Cardinal girls basketball team will take on the marathon Red Raiders Tom will be at marathon
on high school for all the exciting play-by-play of that Merrill Wood Conference South Division opener.
You can hear that game live on the Sports2Stream of WXCO.fm and the Civic Media app.
Again, if you go to WXCO.fm, you'll see at the top a primary stream, Sports2Stream, and a Sports3Stream.
And tonight's game will be on the Sports2Stream live at 7 o'clock for the pregame, 7.15 for the opening tip.
Also, if you download the Civic Media app and if you have not,
download of the Civic Media app yet.
What are you waiting for?
Just open up your Civic Media app and then click on WXCO and you'll see again a chance to listen on the primary stream, which is where we'll have the storm game tonight.
Sports 2 is where you'll have Newman and Marathon with Tom Weaver.
And again, so you can listen to the girl's basketball between the Fighting Cardinals and the Red Raiders on the Sports 2 stream of wxco.fm and the Civic Media app starting at 7 o'clock.
That game will also air on a delay basis following our hockey coverage tonight on 98.9 WXCO So again a double header of high school sports and we out there all winter long Why do we do it Ian?
I keep wondering why why would we do such a thing?
Why would we be out there?
Broadcasting well over a hundred high school sports games during the course of the season
It's because we are very very proud
to be the only local was a radio station that covers play by play action of high school sports.
Exactly right.
So again, we are very proud to be that that radio station here in north central Wisconsin.
Hey, I mentioned the fact that we are expecting about one to three inches of snow tomorrow.
That's right.
I saw a map.
of this storm.
And we are at the southern edge of this storm.
Okay.
As you get a bit further north, if you get towards Rhinelander, you're in an area of three to six inches of snow.
Then if you go even further north beyond that, there's a line of from Duluth Superior going through parts of northern Wisconsin into the UP of Michigan, six to 18 inches of snow as part of this storm.
And then if you go even further to the north, a small area of far northern Wisconsin and the northern part of the UP of Michigan, 18 to 30 inches of snow.
That's
insane.
It's normal though for that part.
They call that lake effect snow.
So as we get one, as we get one to three inches tomorrow.
You may think, oh, this is making it difficult.
No.
That's nothing compared to what the folks in far northern Wisconsin and the UP of Michigan were beginning.
18 to 30 inches of snow to get their winters underway.
Wow.
I'm just glad I don't have to shovel that out.
And even a snowblower, it will need a lot of juice to get through that.
Not one of those small ones.
So you
probably take more than one a day to shovel.
Do you have to shovel?
Do
you shovel when the snow comes?
My dad uses the snowboard, which he recently just got fixed.
So that's, it's good we got it fixed before the next snowfall heads, but yeah, I have to shovel.
And the trick is to not,
Use your back.
Yes, it is.
Use your knees.
So again, you know, be moderate and you're shoveling again this winter, folks.
You don't want to break down the body and even worse, like have a heart attack.
So exactly.
All right, let's do our number for the day quiz.
You are one for one so far this week.
So good start.
And it's gonna involve November snowfall in Warsaw.
Okay.
Your number for the day today is all right.
What is the most snow on a given
day in November in wasa history so the the biggest snowfall in November in wasa history i will say it came on november the 23rd of 1991 all right so the the most snow on a given november day in wasa history okay okay your choices are 11.7 inches all right 13.7 inches
15.7 inches.
November 23rd of 1991.
11.7 inches,
13.7 inches, 15.7 inches.
I'm gonna snow on a
given day in November in Warsaw.
Okay, final answer, I'm gonna say 11.7 inches.
A final answer, I'm gonna say 11.7.
On November the 23rd of 1991 in the city of Wausau, we received 11.7 inches.
Two
for two.
Two for two.
You already got a passing week.
I told you that added a
pressure of only having four,
but chances really helps.
Well, maybe you can use that now to get a perfect week.
Have a shorter week.
All right, have a good rest of your Tuesday.
You too, Chad.
Happy Tuesday, everybody.
We'll see you tomorrow.
Stick around.
More Pat coming up.
If
you would like to you can I have to kind of make sure everything sounds okay, but if you like to feel free to put them on Either way because it just sounds a little bit different in the headphones
All
right, this sounds a little bit All righty there
Whoa!
Hello!
You can
hear my breathing.
I
can still hear you.
That's
crazy.
All right, Ian, are we set to roll?
We're all set over here.
All right.
Could you hear that?
Whenever you are set, we will do it.
All right.
Stand by.
And good morning.
It is the WXCO morning report part of mornings with pack right low on 98.9 WXCO online at wxco.fm mobile devices and Alexa by searching WXCO and on the civic media app.
I am Chad Holmes joined once again by Ian Welsh.
Ian, good morning.
Good morning, Chad.
I tell you, I mean, ever since you came on board, I am just bringing on all these folks that are on stage and I know that you are what are you up to like 70 what
I just finished my, with Sweeney Todd, I just finished, that was my 77th.
All right, well, these young ladies, I think I have to have a lot of work to do to catch up to you and all your productions, but coming up this weekend on Friday and Saturday,
four productions, four different chances to see it as the Central Wisconsin Children's Theater is continuing its long-running post Thanksgiving holiday tradition as it's Madagascar, a musical adventure junior, hitting the stage this weekend at the Venega Theater at the UW Center for Civic Engagement, two shows on Friday, two shows on Saturday, and we are very happy to welcome into the studio three of the performers of this
outstanding the production.
We have Ayla Dunn who plays King Julian.
Ayla, good morning.
Good morning.
We have Sophia Volpe who plays Marty.
Sophia, good morning.
Good morning.
And we have Amy Schneeberger who is Skipper.
Good morning.
Morning.
And we have Cindy Strobel who is the director as well Cindy.
I'll say good morning to you as we are completely.
Good morning.
Well, we're going to start with the ladies.
First of all,
For each of you, are you experienced thespians?
Have you been on the stage previously?
How many shows have you been involved in?
We'll go around the table.
We'll start with Isla.
What for this?
What is the number of shows you've been in?
This is my 14th show.
Well, you are coming up on Ian pretty quickly here.
Sophia, how about you?
How many shows have you been in?
This is going to be my sixth show.
And Emmy, how about you?
This is my sixth show as well.
For each of you, what is it about performing that has first got you involved and has brought you back all these different times?
Again, let's go around starting with Ila.
What is it about performing that you so enjoy?
I think it's the chance to make people laugh on stage.
Like I love making my character funny and hearing people laugh in the audience is just like, oh my gosh, they're praising me.
And Sophia, what about you?
What is it that you love?
Well, one thing that I love about the theater community and being on stage is everyone you get to work with because everyone has different characteristics, even the audience.
You can see that different people like to see and hear different things.
So going along with Isla, I like to make people happy no matter if they are just in tune with the musical or even if they don't know.
You want to make a good impression on them and just being able to perform is like a whole different world for you to do something on.
and Emmy as the third one to get that answer this so what is it that you love about the theater that's brought you back
well I really like just being on stage and singing and dancing it's so much fun but mainly the reason I keep doing theater is because of all of like the people and
the friends that I've made and the directors that I've met along the way, and I just love it so much.
I'm gonna ask each of you about your roles, but I'm gonna bring Cindy in for a moment here because I just wanted for folks to understand the Central Wisconsin Children's Theater and this production specifically.
Could you talk a little bit about what CWCT is about the length of time?
This is kind of a quick turnaround, isn't it, for a production?
Not really.
A typical production, whether you're working with kids or adults, takes about two months
to
throw together from auditions to the show.
Children's theater has been around, I believe, like 30 years longer than I've been in the theater world here.
And what we really want to do is show that kids can perform.
Just as well as adults and it gives them an opportunity to kind of get outside themselves a little bit The other thing I think that is really important about theater is that they they learn to create something bigger than themselves and They do it as a team and those are just awesome lessons for kids to learn
how many kids are involved in this production
64
64
kids yeah plus 20 tiny dancers unbelievable and how many people tried out I mean did you have did you have more than that even come out or do you yes
I might have had like 80
90 tryout.
Is it something that is growing?
Is it continuing to grow?
I mean, because that's a lot of folks to be able to fill into a production.
Yeah, it's a lot of kids to put in a spot.
And one of the things I love about theater is that I kind of think of it as a puzzle where I find the right spot for each kid.
And that that is a really exciting thing.
And I got one more question for you.
You've been around, you know, the theater and been able to be around younger and older performers.
What is it special about working with the kids?
What's special about working with kids is that you kind of have a blank slate.
The things that, when I work with adults that they already know are things that they've learned as kids in theater.
You know, when you say, five more minutes, the kids are supposed to say, thank you, five.
When you are done with your mic tape, it goes in the garbage.
When you're speaking, you need to cheat out.
You know, those little things.
And I like being able to teach those things.
Very, very good.
And let's get back to the kids here and the performers.
Let's talk about the the roles that each of you are playing.
Eila, you are King Julian.
Yes, could
you tell us a little bit about actually before actually specifically about the the characters for folks who are saying, hey, I'm not familiar with with with the show Madagascar, a musical adventure junior again, it's coming Friday and Saturday.
How would you describe the show itself?
Well, it's... Well, where do I start?
There's a lot of dancing and a lot of singing.
All the songs are very happy and it'll bring you up when you're down.
It's just a very good, heartwarming thing about...
Friends and family and it just it makes me very happy and I love it.
What is the character King Julian?
How would you describe your character?
What do you what do you bring into the table with this character?
He is an arrogant slightly dumb party king who only doesn't really care about this one tiny lemur named Mort and
He likes to move it, move it, I guess.
I hope that it's a real stretch for you.
Oh, it is.
Yeah, I have never played a role like this before.
And let's go to Emmy next.
You are Skipper.
I mean, the only Skipper I know of is from Gilligan's Island.
It's not like that, is
it?
I don't know what that is.
It shows how old I am.
Oh man.
But Skipper, what is your character?
Well Skipper the penguin is like a leader of his little group of penguins and I think he very much enjoys being the leader and like he's a little bossy and he has big dreams of going to the wild and even when they come true they realize that it maybe wasn't the best idea.
And Sophia, what about you?
You are Marty.
Who is Marty?
So Marty is this guy who has a really good attitude and he loves to have fun and he has these four friends or three, sorry, Gloria, Melman and Alex.
Alex is his best friend and he is a lion and he tells his three best friends that he wants to go to the wild and
They are just like, that's the worst idea and they don't believe that that's a good idea whatsoever.
And then when that dream...
that he's had for so long comes true, he realizes that it was never the paradise that was the dream.
He just wanted to be together with his friends for so long.
I forgot to ask, what grade are each of you in and where do you go to school?
Ayla, what grade are you in?
Where do you go to school?
I am in fifth grade and I go to remount and elementary.
Okay, and Emmy, how about you?
I'm a sixth grader at John Muir Middle School.
And Sophia.
I am in seventh grade, and I go to Newman Catholic Middle and High School.
Very, very good.
Again, we are talking about Madagascar, a musical adventure junior, which is hitting the stage on Friday and Saturday, 2 p.m.
and 7 p.m.
shows at the Venega Theater at the UW Center for Civic Engagement.
I'm gonna ask each of you, what's been the biggest challenge of this production for you?
What's been the hardest part?
Or has there been a hard part?
Because sometimes I think sometimes you fall into a role and it just it just fits.
But has there been any challenges for each of you in terms of trying to bring out the best in your performance?
And again, we'll start with Ayla.
I think the biggest challenge of being King Julian is definitely the accent and the attitude.
He is so bubbly and
like he's so light on his feet it's so hard
to
act that way and do his little indian accent it's it's very hard
and amy what about you how getting into the uh into the into the mindset of being a penguin
well the penguin we have to do a penguin walk the penguin walk is very difficult and i think i'm
a little bit like Skipper in his like personality of wanting to be like a leader but I feel like his voice the way he acts is a lot different for me and that's acting and it's like I really have to like get into
him when I'm like on
stage.
And Sophia, what about you?
Has there been any big challenges as part of your role?
Well, with Marty, I can relate to him in a lot of different ways, trying to always stay positive and hard times, being a little bit crazy even when you're not supposed to.
I think one of the biggest challenges is switching from some of the songs that you'd say that
we sing all together which are like more connected where in some different songs I sing by myself with ensemble but it's my solo so at different times I would have to belt and at different times we would all blend together so I think definitely switching from different song and vocal types is a little bit tricky and then also kind of going along with like Ila said Marty has a little bit of like rasp in his voice and the fact that like
ours are more pure it's a bit difficult to try and like have a rasp but also not take it too far where it's like a voice crack or something like that but i think it's been really fun to play this role and
I feel like I can just relate to him in a lot of different ways.
And on the other end of the spectrum, in terms of maybe a favorite either song or a favorite moment, a favorite part of the show, do each of you have a favorite part that you're looking forward to, you know, being out there and being part of for the shows on Friday and Saturday?
And again, I love what about is there a favorite moment in this show for you?
It's definitely the song I like to move it.
There's so much energy in the song.
It's just so whoo and everyone Everyone in the crowd is gonna know what this song is so we really got to bring the punch in them I'm very excited to show people what we can do
and Emmy is there a favorite moment for you during the part of doing the show
Well, I'm not gonna like spoil the show But
there is
one scene where we're in crates and the set for that is just awesome and I love
that part so much because it's just so cool.
And so that's probably my
favorite part.
And it's Sophia.
Um, one of my favorite parts in the show is also move it, move it.
Like I was said, there's just so much energy and so much like kaboom that just goes into it.
And like she said, just