July 6 - 8 @ 7pm
July 9 @ 2pm
First debuting on the Disney Channel in 2006, this iconic musical took the world by storm. With its infectious tunes, empowering themes, and relatable characters, High School Musical JR has become a modern classic that continues to resonate with audiences of all ages.
There will be a 10-minute Intermission
A Note from the Producer, Joey Yow
Welcome! We're thrilled that you could join us today for High School Musical JR, featuring 50 youth cast and crew members from the Brainerd Lakes area and beyond! As a theatre educator for many years prior to my arrival in Brainerd, I've seen the transformative power of youth theatre and performance first-hand. This is an art form that builds confidence, fosters creativity, and encourages kids to push themselves to achieve new goals. It is an environment that encourages camaraderie with an ensemble filled with folks of different ages, backgrounds, and interests. I'm so proud of this cast, not just for their work on the stage, but for their efforts in rehearsals and the connections they've formerd with one another. We hope you enjoy the show, and please come see us again at one of our many other productions offered this summer and beyond.
And to the wonderful parents of our cast and crew - we know that their commitment to this show was also your commitment. Participating in these shows affects all sorts of family plans, and we appreciate your sacrifice and prioritization of this experience for your children. Thank you!
Joey Yow, CLCPAC Program Director
A Note from the Director, Travis Chaput
I would like to thank a few people for getting us here today. I first want to thank the fine folks of ISD 181 and the Gitchi-ziibi Performing Arts Center. They have been a joy to work with and getting to use this space to accommodate the large the cast of characters has been amazing. Next, I would like to thank Amy Borash, Jacob Hanson, and Joey Haasken. I couldn’t ask for a better creative team to work with on this show, you guys were there from day one and have molded this thing into what it is today. Thank you for all your hard work and dedication to this show and these kids. Additionally, I would like to thank Joey Yow as well as the rest of the staff from the CLC Performing Arts Center. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to work with this group of students and for being so invested in getting kids involved in Theater. From the 70 kids we had audition for this show, it is apparent that there is a real need for more youth theater in our area - thank you for being at the forefront of that movement. Finally I would like to thank you: the families, friends, teachers, and supporters of these kids. Your presence here today means the world to them and myself. Thank you for allowing us the time to work with them so closely and help hone their talents for this show.
After today, please be sure to check out clcperformingarts.com for more information about upcoming shows and community theater productions coming to the stage. You might even find that tickets for the production of Kinky Boots are on sale and ready for you to buy them… Just sayin...
Enjoy the show!
Travis Chaput
The Cast of Disney's High School Musical JR.
Photography by Sheila Boldt, Pine Haven Photography
Abby Hanson will be a freshman at Brainerd High School in the Fall. She has always loved theater. At the age of 8, Abby played the role of Marie in Aristocats in the summer youth program at FMCT in Fargo, ND. The following two summers she appeared in Aladdin and Cinderella. Her other interests include volleyball and volunteering with the Junior Jaycees.
Alexander M. Beach, also known as Alex, hails from the great town of Pillager. He enjoys storytelling and video games. He has had a grand time being a part of this show and encourages everyone to try theatre!
Alexandra Cutler Is excited to be in her first play! She overcame some initial anxiety to participate in this show with her best friend and is glad that she did! She hopes you enjoy the show.
Allison Moore is 12 years old and going into 7th grade at Forestview Middle School. She previously played an Orphan in Annie JR. She is involved in gymnastics and diving. When she is older she wants to be an entrepreneur. Her favorite song in this show is 'Breaking Free' and her favorite dance is Bop To The Top. One of her goals is to play a lead role in a play. She’d like to thank her parents for their support and the directors of High School Musical JR for the opportunity!
Amelia Mauro is 10 years old and going into Forestview Middle School next year. She has dreams of being an actor or a veterinarian when she grows up. Her favorite song in the show is 'Bop To The Top', so watch out for it! She hopes you enjoy the show! .
Ashlyn Foy is thrilled to be a part of High School Musical JR! Previous roles include an Orphan in Annie JR with Stage North Theatre; Pee Wee Pick in Peter Pan with Prarie Fire Theater; and Molly in a workshop of Annie JR with Stage North Theatre. She hopes you enjoy the show!
Attly Speer is 14 and is an incoming freshman at Brainerd High School this year. She’s been in previous theater productions in MN but none through the community theater. In her free time she likes to play volleyball along with the cello and the clarinet. She would like to thank her parents for helping to rehearse lines and bringing her to countless rehearsals.
Aubree Flowers has been in three other productions which include Annie JR, Peter Pan, and Pinocchio. She goes to Forestview Middle School and enjoys dancing competitively, swimming, and theater..
Bridget Lindberg is excited to be in her first play! She goes to Forestview Middle School and loves to dance, bake, sketch, read, and do theatre. So have fun, sit back, and enjoy the show!
Brody Schultz is 16 and is a Junior at Brainerd High School. You might have seen him in The Wizard of Oz as an Ensemble member or in The Sound of Music as Kurt.
Chloe Menzel is excited to be in her first production beyond elementary school and her first musical! She will be a Freshman at Brainerd High School this fall. She enjoys participating in volleyball, swimming, and spending time with friends..
Colton Armbrust will be a sophomore at Crosby-Ironton High School next year. He has been in eight musicals down in the Twin Cities, including Bye Bye Birdie and The Sound Of Music. High School Musical JR is his first show with Brainerd Community Theatre. Some of his hobbies include singing, writing, cooking, and gardening. He hopes you enjoy the production!
Ella Reese is 11 years old and is going into 5th grade at Forestview Middle School. She loves acting, singing, and dancing! Her favorite animal is a giraffe, and her favorite food is tater-tot hotdish. She is a cheerleader and very excited to be part of High School Musical JR!
Elli Salo has been in two other productions: Elf The Musical and Annie JR. She attends Forestview Middle School and enjoys art, tennis, and theater. She hopes you enjoy the show!
Émali Jiménez, a senior at Staples-Motley High School, is thrilled to be a part of CLC's High School Musical Jr. This marks her second production, following her debut in SMHS’s Newsies. She has enjoyed the company of her cast mates and hopes you will too. Enjoy the show!.
Emily Pratt is thrilled to be a part of this show! She has been in multiple productions in the past, working both onstage and backstage. She thinks you may have seen her sister in a show in town as well, because “she’s in everything.”
Emily Rioux is 10 years old, is going into 5th grade, and this is her first play! She loves dancing, singing, and spaghetti. She is also very scared of bees. She hopes you enjoy the show (as long as you are not a bee)..
Eva Anderson is 11 years old. High School Musical JR is her fourth play (and she’s already in rehearsals for her fifth play, Finding Nemo JR!' She loves acting, dancing, singing, and her Aunt. She really enjoyed being in this production and would like to thank the cast, crew, and directors for an amazing experience!
Greyson Tanner is 11 years old. He enjoys collecting Amiibo action figures and playing outside. He hopes you enjoy the show!.
Ireland Heap is excited to be in her second musical! She previously played a Maid in Annie JR. She hopes you enjoy the show!
Irie Kronstedt is thrilled to be a part of High School Musical JR! Previous roles include a Classmate in A Christmas Story with Stage North Theatre; Alice Parker in The Crucible with Stage North Theatre; an Orphan in Annie JR with Stage North Theatre; Jack and the Beanstalk with Prarie Fire Theater; and the Play Off The Page acting camp at the Central Lakes Community Performing Arts Center.
Jillian McArdell recently finished 8th grade at St. Francis Catholic School and will be going to Brainerd High School next year. She has been involved in theatre since 2018. She enjoys reading, running, and other sports. She hopes you enjoyed this show that she and others worked so hard on, and that you have a great summer! Theatre experience: Beauty and the Beast Prairie, Fire Theatre, Anything Goes, Stage North Theatre, The Crucible, Stage North Theatre, Annie, Stage North Theatre, Sleeping Beauty, Prarie Fire.
Joseph Harmon is 18, just graduated from high school this year and is hoping to pursue a career in acting. Joseph would like to thank his family and friends that support him and all of his dreams. Joseph's favorite hobby is watching movies with the person he loves..
Juno Paine is, in her own words, pretty weird. She reads, draws, and stays up all night doing just that. She hasn't had a natural hair color since 2020, and as for her favorite musical- she can't decide between "Les Misérables" or "Legally Blonde". This is her first actual musical, and she is very excited.
Kaitlyn Brenny has done previous productions with Prarie Fire Theatre. She will be entering Brainerd High School next year. She enjoys riding horses, tap dancing, and hanging out with friends. She has two dogs – Leia, a Cavachon, and Maddie, a Cockapoo.
Kaycee Heemstra is 14 years old (soon to be 15!) In her free time, she enjoys singing, reading, puzzles, and playing games. She hopes you enjoy the production!
Kylie Wells is 12 years old and going into 7th grade at Forestview Middle School. She enjoys playing basketball and football, going outside, and watching TV and TikToks. She has two dogs and two cats. She has been in four plays, with High School Musical JR being her first with BCT.
Lauren Chock is thrilled to be a part of High School Musical JR! She enjoys crocheting, swimming, playing softball, and crafting. Some of her favorite things include her cats, snowcones, and her family.
Levi Berg is 16 years old and will be entering his junior year after this summer. Outside of this production, Levi has been in two productions at Aitkin High School as an ensemble member in Mamma Mia! and the Big Bad Wolf in Shrek: The Musical. Levi hopes to pursue a career in acting after high school. Levi would like to thank his family and friends that have supported him on along the way. Levi’s favorite hobbies consist of playing guitar and performing.
Lillian Tanner is 13 years old and will be entering 8th grade. Lilly wants to be an actor when they grow up. Lilly likes to sing, crochet, and dance. They'd like to thank their parents, because they always support them. .
Lily Lee is 12 years old. She has three brothers and one sister. Lily wants to be an author when she grows up. She plays volleyball, enjoys painting, and has a dog named Libby. Her favorite song in the show is 'Start of Something New', and her favorite dance is Bop To The Top. She’d like to thank all of the people who helped make High School Musical JR happen!
Lily Wonders, age 11, is a 6th grader at Forestview Middle School and making her theatrical debut. Lily has a passion for singing, and has had the privilege of being a part of the Legacy Youth Chorale. She was last seen in the children’s choir for Stage North’s production of Annie JR.
Lydia Jendro is a senior at Brainerd High School. Lydia’s been dancing since she was three years old with her amazing “Dance Mom” Amy Borash, and now serves as Amy's assistant dance teacher at Music General. Lydia’s worked behind the scenes doing lighting for multiple bands with her dad Curtis Jendro with Just Me Sound and Lighting. She’s preformed in the first production of Anything Goes for Stage North Theatre Company as well as multiple Brainerd Community Theatre shows like Elf: The Musical (Ensemble), Sister Act (Ensemble), and Brighton Beach Memoirs (Nora). Lydia was the choreographer for the Brainerd High School musical The Sound of Music. Lydia hopes this musical will “throw you back” to when these movies first came out and she really hopes you enjoy this musical! "Thank you for coming!"
Mackenzie Pratt is a senior at Brainerd High School. She is normally working backstage doing light work but is very excited to be on stage as Martha Cox. Enjoy the show!
Marlowe Cotariu is thrilled to be a part of High School Musical JR! She loves Minecraft, knitting, and wrestling. "Did you know, that the jazz hands at the end of breaking free, were not in the original coreagraphy, and was a student suggestion that was so popular that everyone began doing it?" - She would like to thank Lillian Tanner, Eva, and Kaitlyn Brenny for sticking with her to the end.
Melody Threlkeld is excited to be in her first play! She enjoys music, playing a variety of instruments, crafting, and writing. She auditioned for the show in order to have a fun summer experience, and is looking forward to doing more shows in the future!
Norah Quinsberg is 12 years old and is going into 6th grade at Pillager Public School. She is in her 10th year of dance at Music General. She has been in theatre camps since she was five years old, and this show is her second full production. She also has two dogs (that always annoy her). She’d like to thank her awesome older brother, her two younger brothers who are always so kind, and her amazing Mom and Dad.
Olivia Tanner attends Brainerd High School. She enjoys playing in the orchestra, water sports, and musical theater. She has been in the following productions with Stage North Theatre Company: A Christmas Carol (Young Fan), Paul Bunyan (Chorus), The Snow Queen (Chorus), and Miracle on 34th Street (Chorus).
Paige Vacinek is 13 and will be an 8th grader next year. She enjoys playing alto sax at Forestview Middle School, and her favorite hobbies are making art and mountain biking. This is her first theatre production. She would like to thank her friends and family, and give a special shout-out to her aunt Maria!.
Ronan Fornshell is 14 years old. He has had a busy summer with play rehearsals, Spotlight Theatre Camp, Drivers Ed, a job at Spirit Horse Center, University of Minnesota Track Camp, and camping with his family. His interests include gaming, 80's rock music, movies, playing the piano and drums, hanging out with friends, dancing at Music General and traveling with family. He also participates in Brainerd Warrior Cross Country running, Nordic Ski and Track teams, Band and Jazz Band. He has two pets, his cat Henry Jones (named after Indiana Jones) and his turtle Flash.
Rory Peterson is thrilled to be a part of High School Musical JR! Rory is 11 years old and goes to Forestview Middle School. Rory loves animals and hanging out with family.
Rosalie Flynn is 11 years old. She plays the violin and enjoys crocheting. She was previously seen in the Children’s Choir in Annie Jr. She hopes you enjoy the show!
Taryn Rosenberg has been in several plays over the past few years, such as Queen of Tarts and Annie JR! She attends Forestview Middle School and lives in Brainerd, MN with her family. In addition to acting she also enjoys reading, art and music!
Teagan Johnson is thrilled to perform in her first show with Brainerd Community Theatre. Her most recent role was the Duchess in the Pequot Lakes HS production of Alice in Wonderland. She was also Frenchie in Grease. Other shows include Newsies, Cheaper by the Dozen, and Seussical; all with Pequot Lakes Community Theatre. When not on stage, Teagan enjoys participating on the Speech team, the Robotics team, and Knowledge Bowl.
My name is William Schmitz, I’m 11 years old and going into 6th grade at Forestview Middle School. I have been doing musicals and plays for the past few years. I have been in Annie JR, Peter Pan, Sleeping Beauty and currently Young Charlie in Kinky Boots. I also dock boats at Zorbaz on Gull Lake. It’s been a busy summer but a blast so far.
Zach McIlravy is a senior at Staples Motley High School. This is his 6th production! His favorite previous role was Race in Newsies. He really hopes you enjoy the show!
Zoe Howard attends Brainerd High School. This is her second musical; the first being Tom Sawyer when she was in fourth grade. She loves tennis, drawing, music, and reading. She's always loved High School Musical and is so happy to be with such an amazing crew and cast!
The Production Team
Travis Chaput, Director
Travis is a local director and actor from the Brainerd Lakes Area. When not working on a production, Travis can be found spending time with his dog Bolton, Reading fantast novels, and at Takedown Gym working on resistance training. He hopes you will enjoy the show.
Jacob Hanson, Vocal Director
Jacob is a senior Vocal Music Education major at Concordia College in Moorhead, MN. He sings and tours with the Concordia Choir. Jacob has participated in numerous productions in the BLA as well as at Concordia. His Vocal Direction credits include: The Marvelous Wonderettes, Sh-boom! Life Could be a Dream, Xanadu, Sister Act. His acting credits include: Grease (Doody), Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Joseph),The Little Mermaid (Prince Eric), Mamma Mia! (Ensemble), Sh-boom! Life Could be a Dream (Duke), Xanadu (Terpsichore), Into the Woods (Jack), The Rocky Horror Show (Brad). Jacob feels privileged to have worked with such an amazing group of kids to put together High School Musical Jr. He offers special thanks to his parents and brother, all his past and present music educators, and anyone who has supported him in his relationship with the arts.
Amy Borash, Choreographer
Amy Borash is a frequent member of the Brainerd Community Theatre family. Amy has directed or choreographed over 35 shows in the lakes area, including '9 To 5' (Director/Choreographer), 'Sister Act' (Director/Choreographer), 'Little' (Choreographer), 'Legally Blonde' (Director/Choreographer), 'Church Basement Ladies' (Director/Choreographer), and 'Mamma Mia!'. (Director/Choreographer) where she also took the stage as Donna. When she is not staging a show, Amy teaches dance at Music General in Brainerd. Amy is married to David Borash and has two daughters, Sylvia & Libby.
Tim Leagjeld, Set Designer & Set Build
Tim has been designing and constructing scenery for several venues in the Lakes Area for 35 years. Other than theatre, he enjoys spending time at his home on the Whitefish Chain with his fur-babies Rex, Norman and in loving memory of Mr. Sandy.
Heidi Eckwall, Lighting Designer
Heidi Eckwall is a lighting designer based in Minneapolis. Her parents have a cabin nearby, so she is often in the Brainerd Lakes area when not touring nationally and internationally with dance companies or teaching lighting design at Colorado College. Previous lighting at CLC includes 9 to 5, A Christmas Carol, Clarence Darrow, Sister Act, ELF, Wait Until Dark, Xanadu, Scotland Road, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf, All My Sons, Mamma Mia! and A Few Good Men.
Sharon Hartley, Costuming
Hello! I'm Sharon Hartley and it's been my pleasure to be part of the production team for High School Musical JR., as costumer. Working with kids is what keeps us young, as they say, and it's been fun to see all these kids dip their toes into theater. They may not all pursue acting or all the other vocations that are found with a theater but learning to grow and stretch themselves is worth it all. Thank you for supporting each and every one of them!
Joey Haasken, Stage Manager
Joey Haasken is thrilled to be a part of High School Musical JR. Joey was recently seen onstage in the Brainerd Community Theatre productions of 9 To 5 and Brighton Beach Memoirs, and worked behind the scenes last summer in Sister Act. Joey would like to thank the entire cast and crew.
The Production Technical Team
Producer: Joey Yow
Technical Director: Brenton Monroe
Sound Engineer: Landon Aulie
Gichi - ziibi Technical Staff:
Tim Catlett and Nick Benskin
The Production Crew
Left to Right:
Jasper Cotariu, Landon Aulie,
Cora Starns
Set Build: Jacob Becker
Special Thanks To:
Minnesota State Arts Board;
ISD 181; Tim Catlett, Nick Benskin, and Annmarie Lacher at the
Gichi-ziibi Center for the Arts;
Central Lakes College President Hara Charlier;
CLC Foundation Director Kate Adornett;
CLC Graphic Department, Leon Dahlvang & Jeremy Goddard
CLC Security Staff and CLCPAC Ushers/Volunteers
Sheila Boldt, Pine Haven Photography
This activity is made possible, in part, by the voters of Minnesota, through a grant from the Five Wings Arts Council, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.
Dress Rehearsal
Photography by Sheila Boldt, Pine Haven Photography
A Brainerd Community Theatre Production