An ensemble of talented students from Page High School and Page Middle School gave a rousing performance of “The Scarlet Pimpernel” earlier this month. 

This colorful adventure was the eighth musical directed by Lynda Nolan, who also teaches middle school and high school choir for the school district. Nolan was also the show’s choreographer, and she directed and rehearsed the play outside of her regular teaching requirements, choir concerts and tryouts.

“It was like having two full-time jobs,” she said.

Auditions for “Pimpernel” were held the second week of school, and rehearsals began Aug. 9. During the two and a half months of rehearsal, the actors learned four big dance and singing sequences, and several smaller ones.

“Pimpernel” saw many veteran actors return to the stage. Zoe Tate, James Nolan, Reed Nolan and Samuel Robertson played the leads this year. James and Zoe have played lead roles in years past, when they were The Beast and Belle in “Beauty and the Beast.”

Madison Case, Alexandra Terry, Aaron Rankin, Sienna Wertz, Kylie Robertson, Marcus Szabo, Steven Terry, Timothy Kidman, Alexia Johnson, Maggie Anderson and Emmalyn Wischmann were “The League of the Scarlet Pimpernel,” with several more kids playing ensemble roles.

Dawnell Robertson returned as the production’s music director and assistant choreographer.

It was a bittersweet performance for Tate as it marked the final time she’ll tread the boards of the Cultural Arts Building (CAB). Tate began her acting tenure when she was in sixth grade, and she has acted in the fall musical every year since then. 

“Any time I walk down a hallway, I’ll remember something that happened there years before,” she said. “Almost every corner of the CAB holds a memory for me. I’m certainly going to miss it.”

Tate’s first love is singing and choir. It was the music and a chance to sing that first drew her attention to the musicals. She was also taking voice lessons from Lynda Nolan, and the two had built a relationship of trust. When Nolan encouraged her to give the theater a try, she trusted that it would be a positive experience.

“I’m normally pretty reserved,” she said, “but I love choir and I love singing, and that got me interested. And I loved that I could incorporate something I love with something out of my comfort zone.”

Tate, a senior, is enrolled at BYU Online High School, but in addition to acting in the fall musical, she’s a cheerleader, tennis player and a choir member at Page High School. 

Tate plans to attend BYU Idaho online her freshmen and sophomore years of college, and after that transfer to BYU Provo and attend in person. Tate hasn’t yet settled on a major, but said, “I know I want music to be in my life, whether it’s community choir or something else.”

James Nolan, a junior, is also a veteran of Page High School musicals. He played the lead role of Percivel Blakeney this year. 

He began his acting career in the fifth grade in the “Music Man.” He’s been in every play since then. 

“I really enjoy it,” he said. “I love being different people on stage and making the audience laugh.” 

James also has a soft spot for the CAB and the hours he’s spent on stage.

“I greatly appreciate the CAB,” he said. “Other theaters in Arizona aren’t as nice as the CAB. It’s a marvelous place to perform. As a younger actor, I watched the older role models. I remember they seemed so mature and confident. I remember everything they did, from the way they were on stage and how they behaved and carried themselves off stage. I learned a lot from having them as role models.”

James appreciates his time backstage, too. 

“I love the down times, while other people are on stage rehearsing their part. I get to talk about life and stuff with my fellow actors.”

For Lynda Nolan, one of her most enjoyable parts of producing and directing a new play is watching her actors grow and develop. 

“Every year I have some roles but don’t have actors ready to immediately step into those roles,” she said.

“But every year I have actors with the potential. I give them the role and know they’ll grow into it as the rehearsals progress. It’s always a remarkable thing to witness, watching their acting, singing and dancing skills improve, and their confidence expand.

“Madison Case, Sienna Wertz, Reed Nolan and Sam Robertson all took on larger roles this year than what they had in the past, and they all grew in the experience.”   

Lynda Nolan gets a great deal of help from her husband Seth, who has built nearly every set going back to the first year she began directing the musicals. This year, Seth built the guillotine and numerous other smaller sets. Lynda also gets a great deal of help from Debi Roundtree, who spends countless hours creating costumes.