In the Spring of 1986, Brownwood High School senior, Mitchell Moore, played Will Harper in Oklahoma under directorship of Mrs. Cindy Barcroft. This weekend, Mr. Moore, now assistant principal at BHS, will be sitting in the audience watching his two daughters, Makenlee and Mabree perform in Oklahoma.
After the girls were cast in the show, the first thing the Moore family did was watch the VHS tape of Oklahoma from the 1986 BHS performance. “It was funny watching our Dad,” said Makenlee. Mr. Moore agreed that it was amusing. “It was a long time ago…I had long, feathered hair and they put taps on my boots.”
When the girls brought home the music, Mr. Moore was able to sing it to them, because he still remembered the songs. He was in choir through junior high and high school, but dancing was a different story. “Dancing was a much bigger challenge than singing,” said Mr. Moore. It was Lisa Gabaree who taught him and the cast all the dances.
Makenlee is a junior at BHS, but this is her first year in choir. She is a part of the chorus in Oklahoma. She was in Seussical the Musical last year as Mayzie LaBird. “Oklahoma is harder than Seussical,” said Makenlee. “In Seussical everything rhymed, so it was easier to remember.” Makenlee said that she enjoyed the dancing. “Square dancing is different; it’s crazy!”
Mabree Moore is a freshman, and Oklahoma is the first production she has been in. Like her sister, it is her first year in choir. Mabree plays the role of Vivian. “I used to take dance,” said Mabree, “but this is way different. It’s all this cowboy, cowgirl stuff.” Both the girls agree that being in the production has been fun. When asked if the sisters practice together at home, Mabree said, “No, I’m never home!”
Although Mabree and Makenlee have had fun, it certainly has taken hard work to put on the show. The cast started practicing before Thanksgiving in the choir hall to learn the songs. They moved rehearsals on stage only a few weeks ago.
When asked if he had seen the show yet, Mr. Moore said, “I haven’t seen anything. I’ll start attending dress rehearsals on Thursday and will attend all the performances.”
“I may break out into song…I still remember it.”
Mr. Moore is not the only person at BHS who remembers the 1986 performance. DaLin Cummings, library assistant, played Aunt Eller.
Oklahoma will be performed in the Dorothy MacIntosh Fine Arts Center at the Brownwood High School. The opening show is Friday night at 7:30pm. Saturday
Performances are 2:30pm and 7:30pm. Tickets are $5 each, and may be purchased ahead of time at the Brownwood High School, BISD Central Office, Brownwood Area Chamber of Commerce, and Underwood’s Cafeteria.
Top Photo – Mitch Moore: Mitchell Moore (right) played Will Harper in Oklahoma in 1986. Mr. Moore is now an assistant principal at BHS
Photo Above – DaLin Cummings: (far left) DaLin Cummings (then Wheeless) played Aunt Eller in 1986. Mrs. Cummings is now a library assistant at BHS.
Photo Above- Sisters: Sisters, Makenlee and Mabree Moore, are in Oklahoma this weekend.
