A group of high schoolers rally around Ellie, played by Paige Creswell, in search of a missing hourglass in the second act of the Gladbrook-Reinbeck Spring musical “Freaky Friday”. Pictured are, from left, Makenna Cooper, Katie Clark, Paige Creswell, Karlie Rickert and Alex Rogers. The musical played for audiences on March 6 and 7. Darvin Graham/Sun Courier

After pandemic delays pushed back the school musical in the fall, Gladbrook-Reinbeck’s drama department was finally able to take the stage to present their 2020-21 musical production.

On March 6 and 7 audiences were taken through a lively, and at times magical, journey in the musical “Freaky Friday”.

The musical is a recent adaptation to the 1972 Mary Rodgers book by the same name and may be most recognized from the Walt Disney Pictures film adaptation in 2003 starring Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan. The musical adaptation by Bridget Carpenter, Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey was directed at Gladbrook-Reinbeck by a trio of co-directors including Kyla Kiburis, Greg Tessendorf and Cecilia Shutt.

“What I love is just the dedication the fine arts kids have to have,” Kiburis said. “At G-R we really like kids to be a part of everything and have the opportunity to be in sports and fine arts and not have to choose between the two.”

Students rehearsed the musical for two months, meeting mostly during the morning hours before school while dodging a number of snow days and conflicting winter activity schedules.

Maia McLean (left), playing Katherine in the G-R production of “Freak Friday”; sings to Fletcher, played by Nathan Smiley (right), during the song “Parents Lie”. Darvin Graham/Sun Courier

The story follows teenager Ellie Blake, played by senior Paige Creswell, and her mother Katherine Blake, played by senior Maia McLean, who is a successful wedding planner on the precipice of her own wedding.

Through a magical twist of fate the two swap bodies, and within one whirlwind day, must find a way back to normal in time for Katherine’s wedding.

“This year was really special because we knew we had Maia and Paige, we knew how strong they were and how they could light up the stage,” Kiburis said. “We also felt like “Freaky Friday” had some really quirky and fun characters and we knew we had some other kids who could fill those roles as well.”

The 18-member cast was anchored by strong leading performances from Creswell and McLean who were among a group of five seniors honored at the conclusion of the Saturday evening performance.

Both actors had the unique challenge of embodying their own characters as well as their swapped characters under the spell of a magical broken hourglass.

Pastor Bruno (center), played by G-R’s Paul Brockett, pulls in engaged couple Mike, played by Zane Stice, and Katherine, played by Maia McLean, for a pre-wedding conference in the first act of Gladbrook-Reinbeck’s spring musical production of “Freak Friday”. Darvin Graham/Sun Courier

In the first act both Creswell and McLean are featured soloists in several musical numbers. A stand-out moment for McLean came late in the first act when she delivered a powerful and emotion-filled performance in the song “Parents Lie”. In the song Katherine, swapped as Ellie, sings to her little brother Fletcher about the challenges of childhood relationships with parents.

“For that song I felt like I was able to find some of the emotion from my own life,” McLean said. “I thought about singing to my own younger sister and that helped as I was practicing and performing with Fletcher.”

A feature moment came for Creswell in the second act when Ellie finally finds the second hourglass that can break the spell that caused the body swap between her and her mom.

Creswell’s confident alto voice gave life to a ground-breaking moment in the story where Ellie, still swapped as Katherine, decides to cast out the anxiety and self-consciousness that led to much of the conflict between her and Ellie early on.

Creswell said her favorite scene to perform was the soulful, jazz number “Bring My Baby (Brother) Home” that came in the second act and was an opportunity for her and McLean to belt out a catchy chorus.

“I thought our cast came together really well as a group,” Creswell said. “Even though we had a lot of kids from different grades, we all got along and I think that showed on stage.”

G-R’s Wesley Latchman played a critical supporting role as Adam, Ellie’s high school crush and list master for the scavenger hunt that occurs in the second act.

Latchman’s smooth tenor voice could be heard on solos in “Oh, Biology” in the first act and “Women and Sandwiches” in the second act.

“Freaky Friday” also provided a unique opportunity for a junior high student to join the cast, which is usually comprised of only high schoolers.

Seventh grader Nathan Smiley took on the role of Fletcher, Ellie’s little brother. Smiley matched up well in age with the character and was confident and enthusiastic in his portrayal of the puppet-toting, wise-cracking Fletcher.

Other key supporting cast members included Zane Stice as Katherine’s fiance Mike, Rachael Kaufmann as popular girl Savannah, Brooke Peterson as Katherine’s assistant Torrey and Karlie Rickert and Katie Clark as Ellie’s friends Hannah and Gretchen.

Comic relief came courtesy of Brandon Strohbehn as Ellie’s Spanish teacher Senor O’Brien, as well as a couple scene-stealing efforts by Paul Brockett as the delightfully absurd Pastor Bruno.

G-R principal Andy McQuillen also made a cameo appearance as a high school principal whose interaction with Ellie buttons the end of the song “I Got This” in the first act.

The ensemble cast members all stayed busy, each inhabiting multiple characters that filled the story and environment with vivid detail.

Ensemble actors included Rachael Quackenbush, Megan Cooley, Alex Rogers, Makenna Cooper, Brandon Strohbehn, Emma Jo Fleshner, Mahayla Olson. Danny Gleissner and Paul Brockett.

Four students worked on the production behind the scenes including Mailea McLean, Lauren Bystricky, Addi Summers and Xandra Anderson.

“At G-R the musical brings kids together from different groups and it really is kind of a family,” Kiburis said. “Those are really kids that don’t hang out all the time together. They do all kinds of activities and I think the musical brings them in all together where they have a common ground to share for the two months we’re working together. It helps create some really cool connections I’d say.”

Plans are to return the musical to its regularly scheduled programming in the fall for the 2021-22 school year with a show announcement tentatively planned near the end of this school year.