Summer Theater Camp to Perform “Oklahoma!”

More than 30 teenage campers, including a record seven boys, have been rehearsing the Rodgers and Hammerstein classic “Oklahoma!” as part of Bravissimo!, a musical theater camp at Westmont. The students, entering grades seven-12, participate in 11 days of intense workshops, focusing on singing technique, acting, set-design, costuming and technical direction. The summer camp concludes with three fully staged theatrical productions of “Oklahoma!” July 1 at 1 and 7 p.m., and July 2 at 11 a.m. in Porter Theatre. Tickets are $5 and can be reserved by e-mail to thinkcamps@westmont.edu and picked up at the door.

Rebecca Leftwich, director of the Westmont Women’s Chorale, and Miller James, Westmont adjunct instructor in stage craft/costume design, are co-directing the performance. Westmont alumna Kate Paulsen, a popular actress with Lit Moon Theatre and former Providence Hall High School theater director, is the choreographer.

Maggie Langhorne, 16, plays the role of Laurey Williams, Curly McLain’s love interest. Langhorne, a junior at Bishop High School, has performed in Bravissimo! every year since its inception in 2005. “Bravissimo! has been such an amazing experience over the past five years,” she says, “I have developed as an actor and singer, and I contribute this growth to the guidance of Miller, Ms. Leftwich, and Ms. Paulsen.”

Daniel Evarone, a 17-year old senior at Providence Hall High School enjoying his first time with Bravissimo!, performs as simple cowboy Will Parker. TJ Jan, a senior at Providence Hall, plays the role of Persian peddler Ali Hakim.