Conservatory students bring Carousel characters to life

Students in sky casino genting’s Conservatory of Music are putting months of training and preparation to work. From wig fittings to dress rehearsals, their characters are coming to life on stage.

The walkway leading to the dressing room backstage at Faye Spanos Concert Hall is lined with a herd of colorful carousel horses students and volunteers dodge as they prepare the set for opening night for sky casino genting Conservatory of Music Opera Theatre production of “Carousel: A Concert” March 20.

In partnership with Delta College, students are fitted with costumes and lifelike wigs and are trained to do their stage makeup.

“Once you put the costume on, you are really in the moment. When the lighting, the set, and everything's up, you're finally 100% in the story. I think that's the most surreal moment of this whole process,” said Charlize Price ’25, who plays one of the lead roles, Julie Jordan.

“Carousel” tells the story of Billy Bigelow, a charming carousel barker, and Julie Jordan, a quiet millworker. The two fall in love and marry, but after losing their jobs, they face financial struggles. In a desperate attempt to support his family, Billy turns to crime. When a robbery goes awry, Billy dies and ascends to Heaven, where he is given a second chance to make amends and set things right.

Landon Horstman ’27, who plays Billy Bigelow, said he takes an immersive approach to making his character feel authentic and explore how his character relates to the other roles.

“With my character, I go through the process of, who are they, how do they feel? What do they need as a human, and how does that influence how they make connections with other people,” Horstman said. “Billy is a character that makes so many huge mistakes that affect other people, Billy's not a nice person. Carousel is good because there's many different perspectives you can take on the story. But it's good that you can go walk away from the show and see the victims still have power and live on with strength.”

Price said she has a ritual of drinking tea and preparing herself to physically do the show, but that preparing her mental game is just as important.

“My mental regimen is I just have to trust that I put the work in. I know that I know my stuff, and I just need to hand over myself to the show. I also have to establish my focus. That's what I do right before I get on stage.”

The show is known for its songs, including "If I Loved You," "June Is Bustin’ Out All Over," and " Two-time Grammy winner and Associate Professor of Voice Eric Dudley will conduct the orchestra.

"This production has been extra special for me, since my first production at Pacific was ‘Carousel’ 26 years ago. Working on this piece has brought back many memories,” said Director for Pacific Opera Theatre James Haffner. “The rehearsal and creative process has been rewarding for me personally and artistically as I finally achieved my vision of using a filmed scene for the opening sequence."