Entertainment : ACT 1 members move from stage to behind the scenes to help \'13\'

Judy Trygstad is leading the pit band for ACT 1's production of '13.'

Tony Bopp has been a long-time ACT 1 actor and has directed shows. For '13,' he is a photographer

ACT 1 patrons and fans are used to seeing the familiar faces on the stage of the Palace Theatre.

Tony Bopp. Greg Walston. Rachel Kramer. David and Sue Gates. Steve Arnold.

All of those people are involved with the latest ACT 1 production. But you won't see any of them on the stage.

The members and actors of ACT 1, including those named above, have been actively involved as the teenage cast members of "13" prepare for their musical, which opens this weekend.

"They way we put the show together, it's pretty complicated," said Arnold, who is directing "13."

Most musicals, he said, have a large cast. But even with only a cast of 13, this musical requires many stage hands.

"We actually have more people backstage than in the cast," said Arnold. "There are several songs with mulitlple set changes within the song. I don't normally use the curtain, but we use a curtain in this show, and there are sets where we change to a completely different room. And some of those pieces are very heavy.

In addition to the band, there are 17 people backstage and five in the sound and lighting booth. A frequent ACT 1 performer as a teenager, Jesse Bunge, is the music director. Joan Cooling is the choreographer and Alex Shields is the accompanist who worked with the performers in the early rehearsal stages.

"Exceptional cast"

Arnold said the thing that separates "13" from other shows is the 13 teenagers who are performing it.

"The big thing is that it's such an exceptional cast," said Arnold

A typical musical might require 100 hours of rehearsal time.

But for "13," that number was tripled.

"You figure normally 100 hours for a big show but we have logged 300 rehearsal hours," said Arnold. Once the show starts this weekend, there will only be one brush-up rehearsal before the next weekend series.

The quality of the show's content is what motivates the actors to work so hard to master it, says the director.

"This is material that really inspires the kids who work on it.," he said. "It's been a fantastic experience. I have never worked so hard on a show."

Becoming a family

Arnold said he has watched the 13 members of the cast become "a family."

"They have connected on Facebook with some of the kids who played their parts on the Broadway version of "13." Last weekend, we went to Illinois to see another production, and they have already connected with those kids on Facebook. Those Illinois cast members will be making the trip to see the Vinton version.

The ACT 1 version of "13" will be the Iowa debut of the Broadway musical. No other Iowa group has yet booked the show. Arnold said the show is very popular on the East Coast but is now just starting to catch on in the Midwest.

"Last weekend, the show made its premiers in Minnesota and North Dakota.

Tonight, "13" makes its debut in Indiana, where Arnold's brother lives.

"He's going to watch it in Bloomington and then come to see our show so he can compare the two," said Arnold.

As soon as he saw "13," Arnold wanted to bring it to Vinton. As soon as it became commercially available in the fall of 2009, Arnold took his idea to the ACT 1 Board. They agreed and the planning began.

The day-long rehearsals will come to an end this weekend as the show opens. Show times will be at 7 p.m. on Friday, August 6; 7 p.m. Saturday Aug. 7, and 2 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 8. The schedule repeats on Friday-Sunday, Aug. 13-15. Tickets are $7 for adults and $5 for students and senior citizens.

"We all know it will be really hard to let it go when it's over," said Arnold.