WCC’s ‘Smile’ hits the runway

By Jess Decina

There are certain secrets to a pageant queen’s success: Don’t get nervous. Strike a fabulous pose. And always remember that things are better with a smile.

This and more inside information all lie beyond the doors of the Westminster Choir College (WCC) Playhouse, where the cast and crew of the musical Smile have spent weeks bringing to life the glitz and glamor of beauty pageants.

Set in 1985, Smile follows a group of California girls who all have the same burning desire: to become the next Young American Miss. In the week preceding the big event, two of the girls, Robin and Doria, find friendship and encourage each other along the way.

But this beauty pageant is not all about smiling girls in pretty dresses who can twirl batons for talent. There’s more than meets the eye, according to Annamaria Borelli, a freshman who plays several ensemble roles.

“It’s about a pageant and the different things that happen behind the scenes,” she said. “But it’s not as happy as people seem to think.”

The planning, practicing and preparation for the big event all takes place on a stage built to look like a runway, with backstage areas in clear view. Smile often switches gears between the show on the runway and the shenanigans that occur backstage, according to sophomore Russell Fischer.

“[There’s a] separation between what’s going on in the pageant and what’s going on behind the scenes,” he said. “[It’s a] bright, vivid and fast-paced show. It’s constantly moving and there’s always something going on.”

With its mostly light-hearted storyline, Smile has a charming appeal. Borelli said the idea of a pageant is easy to identify with because it has been seen so much on TV and in film.

“A pageant is something everyone can relate to,” she said. “It’s something that entertains everyone.”

But the enormous pressure of a beauty pageant often causes panic and desperation among its contestants. Although this provides for a few humorous moments in the show, it also acts as a moral backbone to the story, said Fischer. He noted that there are very few characters who actually care about the well-being of the girls involved in the pageant, adding that his character, though “arrogant and difficult, has all the best intentions. He really does care about the girls.”

“[The play shows] how corrupt this kind of ‘business’ can be and how you really have to rise above the occasion and be true to yourself,” he said.

The efforts of nearly 30 cast members, combined with a set bedecked in flashy colors and constant movement give the play an incredible amount of energy, according to Smile’s stage manager, sophomore Ashley Ross.

“It’s very energetic and continuous, she said. “It’s always moving, and there’s never a point where we have a blackout.”

The WCC Playhouse does not boast a large size, nor does it always have the most up-to-date equipment, Ross said. However, she remains confident that the WCC community will appreciate the work put into the show.

“It’s a very fun and very funny show,” she said. “We may have a very small theater, but we can do some very big things.”

WCC will present Smile on Friday, March 3, and Saturday, March 4, at 8 p.m., and Sunday, March 5, at 3 p.m., in The Playhouse. The cost is $10 for students and seniors and $15 for adults.