The Time of My Life
1998 · Triopia High School
The Time of My Life was an original "musical adventure" written and directed by Ken Bradbury, presented by the students and staff of Triopia High School in 1998. Built around the theme of youth, it runs as almost seamless music and dance from beginning to end with very little dialogue — a new concept for Triopia. The show moves through a series of scenes of teenage life — Mrs. Dillard's class, the school cafeteria, the mall, a basketball game, homecoming — framing nostalgia, longing, confusion, and love, and closing with the company's call to "Take the Time to Love."
In the Tribune press release, Ken Bradbury — speech teacher at Triopia — described the concept: "It's a whole new concept for us... almost seamless music and dance from beginning to end with very little dialogue." Each musical number is paired with a dictionary-style definition (youth, security, revenge, pandemonium, confusion, longing, hormone, nostalgia, father, virtuoso, locomotion, dreamer, escape, frustrate, love) in the printed synopsis of scenes.
Songs
Act I
- The Time of My Life (Opening Theme) — Luke & The Company; opening solo Luke Crawford. Themed on "youth."
- My Hat — The Hat Guys (Mr. Allen, Alvy, Mark, Tyler and the Hat Guys).
- I'm gonna do it My Way — Alvy & his Fantasies (Alvy, Mrs. Alvy, Jeeves, Alvy's Kids, dancers). Themed on "security."
- The Lunch Stomp — Food Dancers & Lunch Orchestra (all but those in "My Way," plus Alvy). Themed on "revenge."
- The Top Ten — Guys and Girls (Caitlin, Brittany, Paige, Savannah, Hailey, Matt, Sam, Nathan, Nick, Brad). Themed on "pandemonium."
- Couldn't I Dream — Trav & Julie (with "Dumb Love"); features Cody, Anthony, Smilin' Jack, Jay, Allison, and others. Themed on "confusion."
- Quotes & Things (Quotations) — Mrs. Dillard & her class. Themed on "longing."
- Hair & Hips Fandango — The Towel kids (Mr. & Mrs. Monroe, Timmy, Mrs. Ballenger, Trudy, Bridgett, Richard, Towel Kids). Themed on "hormone."
- The Time of My Life (reprise) — Luke & The Company, closing Act I before intermission. (The casting doc also lists a "Tornado Time" segment with this reprise.)
Act II
- Dance Like My Mama Did — Mama's Boys, Act II opener (Jordan, Ivan, Josh, Sam, Tom, Beach Boys, Fab Four). Themed on "nostalgia."
- My Dad — Daddy's Girls (Courtney, Cheyanne, Taylor, Sarah, Hannah, Amber). Themed on "father."
- Alvy's Report — Alvy (David Mason). Themed on "incongruent."
- Four-Chord Wonder — The Wanna-Be's: Bob (Dylan Phelps) & Guitar Friends Luke Crawford, Josh Kirbach, Travis Deaver. Themed on "virtuoso."
- Power Up! — The Power Team. Themed on "locomotion."
- Hoopin' it Up (The Hoopsters / The Knob-Trotters) — The Knob-Trotters (Mr. Lunk, Jesse, Riley, Christopher, Zachary, Brandon, Robert, Alvy). Themed on "dreamer."
- At The Mall — Angie & Malled Friends (Angie, Angie's Mom, Marsha, Mr. Lunk, Georgie, Pete, Mall Merchants, Mall Singers & Dancers). Themed on "escape."
- Turtle Man (Turtleman) — The Turtle Boys. Themed on "frustrate."
- The Homecoming — Alvy & the Entire Company (Alvy, the students & You).
- The Final Essay (The Final Theme) — Mrs. Dillard & Her class.
- Take the Time to Love ("Love" Finale) — The Company; Mark (Luke Crawford) & the Entire Company. Themed on "love."
Cast
- Mrs. Dillard — Vallery Charlesworth
- Syd — Scott Kinsell
- Hunter — Josh Kirbach
- Liddy — Jamie Kleinschmidt
- Jennifer — Sarah Schone
- Brittany — Jackie Knorr
- Mitchell — Jeremy Nickel
- Jessica — Brandi Price
- Ashley — Audrey Knorr
- James — Zack Schone
- Morgan — Jenny Homer
- Mr. Allen — Luke Crawford
- Alvy — David Mason
- Mark — Kliff Thaxton
- Tyler — Travis Deaver
- Mrs. Alvy — Jackie Knorr
- Jeeves — Aaron Meyer
- Caitlin — Apryl Irvin
- Paige — Valerie Charlesworth
- Savannah — Robyn Jones
- Hailey — Amy Kircher
- Matt — Luke Crawford
- Sam — Scott Kinsell
- Nathan — Kliff Thaxton
- Nick — Curt Stinson
- Brad — Ryan Miller
- Cody — Julie Stock
- Anthony — Travis Deaver
- Smilin' Jack — Brandon Witte
- Jay — Dylan Phelps
- Allison — Julie Surratt
- Ethan — Bryce McCormick
- Rachel — Jenny Homer
- Shelby — Audrey Knorr
- Laura — Brandi Price
- Alex — Josh Kirbach
- Marsha — Erin Winkelman
- Mandy — Danielle Fanshier
- Kelsey — Sarah Virgin
- Steve — Matt Beard
- Kaylee — Jill Davidson
- Bobby — Luke Rogers
- Breanne — Jenny Stock
- Jerry — Noah Lefebvre
- Jeannine — Lacie Bettis
- Michelle — Emily Kinsell
- Tom — Drew Hendricker
- Mr. Monroe — Bryce McCormick
- Mrs. Monroe — Shannon Coffman
- Timmy — Matt Beard
- Mrs. Ballenger — Jenna Fricke
- Trudy — Mandy Bergschneider
- Bridgett — Amy Kircher
- Richard — Dylan Phelps
- Cale — Josh Kirbach
- Sherry — Audrey Knorr
- Kyle — Brandon Witte
- Myron — Bobby Joy
- Leroy — Bryce McCormick
- Sissy — Apryl Irvin
- Meg — Jessica Meyer
- Anna — Amanda Meyer
- Molly — Brandi Price
- Peg — Holly King
- Jordan — Curt Stinson
- Ivan — Josh Kirbach
- Josh — Scott Kinsell
- Sam (Act II) — Ryan Miller
- Tom (Act II) — Drew Hendricker
- Courtney — Jessica Meyer
- Cheyanne — Mariah Lakamp
- Taylor — Erin Gobbel
- Sarah — Abby Crawford
- Hannah — Abbie Wessler
- Amber — Kayla Nergenah
- Bob — Dylan Phelps
- Mr. Lunk — Rob Windell
- Jesse — Ryan Miller
- Riley — Luke Crawford
- Christopher — Aaron Meyer
- Zachary — Brandon Witte
- Brandon — Drew Hendricker
- Robert — Kliff Thaxton
- Angie — Melinda Snodgrass
- Angie's Mom — Jenna Fricke
- Georgie — Matt Beard
- Pete — Brandon Witte
- Mrs. Mellon — April Irvin
Production Notes
- Original musical by Ken Bradbury, billed on the program cover as "A Musical Adventure by Ken Bradbury."
- Presented by the students and staff of Triopia High School, 1998.
- Performance dates: April 29 and 30, and May 1st and 2nd (1998), per the Tribune press release.
- Described in the press release as "almost seamless music and dance from beginning to end with very little dialogue" — a new concept for Triopia.
- Auditions were held on a Friday and Saturday; tickets were available from cast members or by calling Triopia at 457-2281.
- Music was provided by "one-woman orchestra" / accompanist Jill French, working largely solo with electronic instruments ("Herr Korg" and "Mr. Yamaha") per the program's special thanks.
- The opening solo was sung by Luke Crawford; offstage singers were Luke Crawford, Amanda Thomas, Vallery Charlesworth, Rob Windell, and Sarah Schumacher.
- A large all-school cast: the company numbered roughly 60 performers across two named ensemble lists, with many actors playing multiple roles across numbers.
- Structured in two acts, each musical number paired with a dictionary-style definition (youth, security, revenge, pandemonium, confusion, longing, hormone, nostalgia, father, virtuoso, locomotion, dreamer, escape, frustrate, love) in the printed synopsis.