LaGrange High School was officially chosen as a part of season two of NBC’s “Smash”: Make a Musical on Monday. The school ended the contest in third
place with more than 12,000 votes from school supporters and community members.
The school will receive the grand prize — a Broadway Junior ShowKit that includes the rights to perform a musical; two master
classes with iTheatrics’ New York-based master teachers; a local adviser; teacher stipends; and a technical theater fund.
“We are extremely excited about this opportunity for our school and our students. We can’t wait to pick a musical and start
auditions,” said Shelly Buller, LaGrange’s drama teacher. “We would like to thank the local community for standing behind
us by voting, which helped us make the top three.”
Buller teamed up with choral director Janie Williams to apply for the grant.
“I’m excited. The students voted a lot,” Williams said. “It’s going to be really good for the school, really good for the
kids, really good for the community, really good for the city as a whole.”
Williams and Buller will work together to teach a musical theater class for students this fall. Buller said they are hoping
to perform the musical in February 2013.
The school was notified in March that it was a top 30 finalist. The contest is designed to help create a sustainable musical
theater program in underserved schools nationwide. More than 1,000 schools applied for the grant.
“I’m very proud of the school. It took a lot for all of the students to get together and vote,” said George Turner, a 10th-grade
student at LaGrange. “It’s been a thought of mine since I was little to be in a musical, and I’m very excited.”
Junior Ciaara Woods shares in his excitement. “I’m very, very, very excited to finally get to do a musical. LaGrange has never
done one before,” Woods said.
Woods hopes the school will perform “High School Musical” next year, but Turner said he is ready to perform any musical.
“I’m open to anything. I just want it to be good,” Turner said. “It’s LaGrange, so you know it’s going to be good.”