K-lene Kuhn
Staff Writer
Melissa Bodily, a theater major, presented her senior performance, “Life, Love and Loss: A Senior Recital,” on Wednesday, Jan. 15, in the Black Box Theater at the Stephens Performing Arts Center.
The recital was a compilation of pieces of work Bodily borrowed from plays, including “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” by William Shakespeare.
The compilation was “…practice for [future] auditions,” Bodily explained. “I wanted a variety of themes so I could be ready for any audition.”
Jessica Rahill, Bodily’s friend and fellow theater major, performed in Bodily’s recital.
“It is our way of sending her off into the world. [Melissa] showing what she has learned,” Rahill said.
Bodily and Rahill have gotten to know one another through classes and theater performances. They acted together in “The Philadelphia Story,” as well as Bodily’s “Love, Life and Loss: A Senior Recital.”
Jonathon Zamora also performed with Bodily in her recital. They sang “When the Sun Goes Down” from “In the Heights” by Lin-Manuel Miranda.
“The decision process was whatever. I asked him what he could sing and it went from there,” said Bodily.
Previously, Bodily, along with Rahill and Zamora, acted in “25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” a musical by Rachel Sheinkin and William Finn.
Throughout the night, beauty rang through Bodily’s trained voice, accompanied by a single piano played by Ann Bringhurst.
Bodily was initially a music major at Idaho State University.
Halfway through earning her bachelor’s degree, she decided that “[she] didn’t want to teach, [she] wanted to be on stage,” she said.
After performing in “Cabert,” which was recreated by Debbie Bray and performed at the Stephens Performing Arts Center in 2010, Bodily switched to musical theater.
In preparation for her upcoming graduation from ISU, Bodily recently auditioned for the Tuacahn Center for the Arts in Utah. She will soon audition for Playmill, a theater company located West Yellowstone.
Staying on the West Coast is what Bodily would like to do for the time being, with plans to move on in the future.
“I want to eventually make it to New York on Broadway,” Bodily said.
Bodily can be seen in the upcoming “James and the Giant Peach” on March 13, 14 and 15 in the Stephens Performing ArtsCenter.
