This March, SSES Theatre brought to life a one-of-a-kind performance: The Hello Girls! The setting was truly incredible–not to mention the specialized workstations that each telegraph operator had as a prop! According to David Allen, a veteran St. Stephen’s teacher, he notified many current staff that this was one of the best musicals they had ever seen. Following the final shows, I interviewed actors Kimberly Kyles, Ziri Udezue, Eline van der Valk, Hanniyah Khan, as well as costumer Aspen Gipprich. 

Aspen was more than glad to share how the experience of costuming impacted them: “The costumes for this show were some of the most amazing ones I have worked on before. …[The Hello Girls] gave me a better insight into how costumes are patterned, sewn, and put together. It was one of the hardest shows I have ever done, but also by far the most fulfilling. Seeing the costumes on stage made the whole show feel even more alive, and it was amazing to contribute to that.”

Ziri spoke to how the musical uniquely affected him: “The core difference for me was the gravity of the story. Musicals tend to have a lot of levity and fantasy, and that certainly exists in The Hello Girls. But the story we were telling involved real people and respecting their memory, and our nation’s complicated history felt like it demanded special attention.”

Hanniyah explained how The Hello Girls encouraged actors to reach new heights: “Learning to speak in a German accent for my role… was a super interesting challenge! Having to break down every sentence, no matter how little, gave me a deep appreciation for the care that goes into making a script.” 

Eline documented how her lead role as Bertha Hunt transformed her: “It’s the biggest role I’ve had so far. I definitely had more to memorize, more songs to memorize, more lines. It took up my winter term, all my offs, all my Saturdays. I was working on it six times a week. I wasn’t really off the musical; I was always on. That was really challenging, but I enjoyed doing it, so it didn’t feel like an obligation. I really enjoyed spending so much time on it and really seeing it come to life. It’s a real story, it truly happened, and I was playing a real character, Bertha Hunt, who actually played an important role in history. …I did a real job of understanding her because we owe so much to her, and it’s the least we could do for all the fights that [the women in WWI] fought for freedom.”

Lastly, Kimberly was more than proud to praise her peers and the historical legacies of the characters: “The Hello Girls was such an incredible show to put on. Our cast and crew were all so much fun to work with and hang out with, and we had this great dynamic that really contributed to the whole experience. And on top of that, nothing beats producing a show that you’re so passionate about with people that you love and even look up to. The story and the music were beautiful, the people were great, and the entire process was just so much fun. …[We gave] so much more depth to all of the roles in the show because not only do you have to do the written characters justice, but you must also honor the stories of the actual men and women who served in World War One.”

The musical cast also performed the show at the Independent Schools Association of the Southwest’s Art Festival, often referred to as ISAS. The magic continued on and off the SSES stage, proving the actors to be flexible and just as talented outside of their home theater. Crowds were lined up outside to witness the extraordinary performance from St. Stephen’s. Alongside the gold-standard direction of Mrs. Brustein, The Hello Girls was quite a show to remember. We would also like to celebrate the musicians, dancers, vocalists, and illustrators who represented our school at ISAS. Each student’s unique skills left audiences starstruck. I had not yet witnessed the incredible talent within St. Stephen’s art departments. Beyond the arts festival, it’s integral that we take opportunities such as Proteus, art exhibitions, and various musical concerts to appreciate the work of our SSES artists.