“Working 9 to 5”; This line is not only an incredibly popular Dolly Parton lyric, but can also nearly describe Cloude Fewkes’ (‘24) commitment to the Green Hope “9 to 5” musical. Fewkes has a strong passion for acting and theater, describing themself as “the kid that never stopped playing pretend on the playground.” As they aged, Fewkes felt that “high school was my first chance to really do theater and I loved it. After my sophomore year, I realized that that was what I wanted to do.”
For Fewkes, this passion was stimulated by multiple Broadway musicals, including “Hamilton” and “Newsies.” With such a strong theatrical background, it comes as no surprise that they are playing Violet, a main character in “9 to 5.” With this great opportunity, however, comes immense responsibility.
Regarding the major role, Fewkes revealed, “Rehearsal is definitely a big time commitment. We rehearse from 2:30 to 5 after school anywhere from 3 to 5 days a week. Oftentimes I’m either on stage for entire rehearsals or am working behind the scenes with costumes. Additionally, I have to learn lines and choreography outside of school.” All of these learning experiences are crucial for Fewkes, and the rest of the Green Hope Theatre students, to excel on the big stage.
Fewkes was especially excited upon receiving this role, because of the complexities within the character, Violet, that they are playing. “She’s very driven, she’s very witty, she’s very snappy, which is fun and interesting. I haven’t played a role like her before so it will be a cool challenge.” The character itself isn’t the only major difference between this performance and their past shows, Fewkes will have to “wear a wig, learn to dance in heels, and manage multiple costume changes throughout the showing.”
When considering the large number of moving pieces in this performance and in their specific role, Fewkes mentioned the rest of the theater team’s impact on the production of the musical. “Everybody is doing a great job. I love our cast and our tech team and I’m so proud of everyone’s work thus far.” This pride in their squad is what has made the collaboration effortless for Fewkes, smoothly transitioning into a difficult and significant role within the upcoming musical.
Along with such a strong support system, Fewkes credits their success to their past experiences in acting. “There is only so much about acting that you can teach. I’ve done a lot of shows and try to learn something new from every show that I have done. I’ve definitely grown a lot in the past few years within theater and… I’m so excited to show everyone our amazing work.”
If one thing is consistent for Cloude Fewkes, it is their undisputable dedication and appreciation for theater. Above all, Fewkes is incredibly proud of the hard work that all of the theater group has poured into this incredible project and is excited to debut “9 to 5” on “April 18th with shows on Thursday, Friday and Saturday night!”
