A warm retreat: “Go-Go Beach” heats up the cold weather at Clarksville High School

IF YOU GO

“Go-Go Beach” opens tonight at Clarksville High School and will run through Saturday. It will return to the stage next week, Nov. 8-10, for more performances. All shows will be at 7:30 p.m.
Tickets cost $9 for adults, $6 for senior citizens and students

Related Photos

Sandy Helton, junior, Seon Shoopman, sophomore, Kendall Rains, senior,Charlie Lauffer, junior and Amanda Alexadner, junior, act out a scene in Clarksville High School's production of "Go-Go Beach" during a dress rehearsal on Tuesday. The show is a parody of beach comedies. Staff photo by Jerod Clapp

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October 31, 2012

A warm retreat: “Go-Go Beach” heats up the cold weather at Clarksville High School

By JEROD CLAPP jerod.clapp@newsandtribune.com The News and Tribune Wed Oct 31, 2012, 08:31 PM EDT

CLARKSVILLE — The turning of the weather hasn’t stopped students from having fun in the sun and sand in Clarksville High School’s latest theater production, “Go-Go Beach.”

The play, in the style of California beach party movies, explores the changing relationships of friends as they move from adolescence into adulthood, all with bikinis and six tons of sand on stage.

Dan Bullington, Clarksville High’s theater director, said the show takes a look at how relationships shift as kids begin to move on from high school.

“It truly is a play about change,” Bullington said. “It’s about the change in growing up and realizing there’s more to life than that videogame or that group of friends that you think will never fall apart.”

Junior Sandy Helton plays J.J, the girlfriend of the protagonist. Helton said audiences will relate to how teenage life leads into adult life.

But she likes playing a character who’s not afraid to call some shots.

“She’s fun to play and she asserts herself really well,” Helton said. “She’s just very bossy, she likes to be the center of attention.”

Peighton Radlein, a junior, plays Mindy Chinchilla. She’s a teen pop star who escapes her life as a starlet to blend in with kids like her.

“I think they can relate to the friendships that all the characters have,” Radlein said. “There’s a lot of love relationships, so I think people will be able to relate to that, too.”

Senior Kyle Nelms plays Woody, J.J.’s boyfriend. He said he likes that his character is friends with everyone and that audiences will see someone they might recognize from their own lives in the show.

“The connection with the characters, how they can see people who they knew or know in school, or like a son, daughter or family member transforms into a different person during the show,” Nelms said.