STUDENT LIFE I INTERNATIONAL I SOCIAL LUBS I ACADEMIC I PEOPLE I LEADER HIP I ATHLETICS I ORGANIZATION DOUBLE DOUBLE LEADING COUPLE Sophomores Max Ross and Allie Scott landed lead roles in the Homecoming musicaJ two years in a row. The two lead roles in the 2018 Homecoming musical were played by sophomores Max Ross and Allie Scott, who also played the leading roles in the 2017 Homecoming musical, "AnnieGet Your Gun." The 2018 production was a Broadway show called "Big Fish," which highlighted an estranged father-son relationship as the father begins to die of cancer. Ross played the father, Edward Bloom, while Scott played his wife, Sandra Bloom. In addition to the 2017 Homecoming musical, "Annie Get Your Gun," Ross also performed as a Spring ing host in 2018 while Scottwas in the ensemble. Both Ross and Scottwere chosen as twoof of the four Spring Sing2019 hosts and hostesses. Cindee Stockstill,producer of theatre, said the producers did not seek out the same leads again for "Big Fish," bur Ross and Scott left them no choice. "Sometimes we feel guilty about it, using the same two [leads]," Stockstill said. "But the basketball team and football team, they use the same starting lineup [for] several years because those people are good. These people are really quite good, and they want to be professional actors, so we're helping them hone their skills and getting them ready for what they want to do in a career." Ross said Edward Bloom in "Big Fish" was one of his bucket list roles for a long time because it was one of his favorite shows. "It's really special to me because we lost my grandfather to cancer last year," Ross said. "The role is difficult, and it pushes me to no end, but I think that last year, once we lost my grandfather, and once we knew this was the show we were doing, I think it bumped it up to a whole 'nother level of need to play the role." When Ross saw the official casting list after callbacks, Scott was the first person he called. "She started screaming," Ross said. "I screamed a lot because I was so happy. It was really cool that me and Allie were going to be co-leads again because it was just so much fun last year." Scott said she was behind the Hammon Student Center when Ross called with the news and she began dancing and jumping up and down in the parking lot. "I just think it's so cool that Harding gives us these opportunities to do these things," Scottsaid. "They very much expectus to be good leaders if they're going to castus in a lead. You have to display character that is strong and that they want to work with. The fact that they're trusting us with these positions over and over again isjust very, very cool." Stockstill said that Ross and Scottwould not always be right for every role, but she thought that they were the strongest pair for this production. "The fact that they are true triple threats is a blessing to our department and to our campus and community as they perform," Stockstillsaid. "They are just exceptional young people who are very talented, and they both give glory to God, which is what we want." story by Maleah Brown SophomoresMax Ross andAllie Scott perform the song, "Daffodils, "during the Homecoming musical in the George S. Benson Auditorium on Oct. 17, 2018. "Big Fish" told the story ofEdward Bloom's life through a series offlashbacks. I photo by Sterling McMichael Scott and Ross dance among the ensemble playing a variety of circus performers during one ofthe dance numbers in "Big Fish" on Oct. 17, 2018, in the George S. Benson Auditorium. The ensemble featured many ofthe cast members from the 2017 Homecoming musical. I photo by Sterling McMichael In Harding's performance of "Big Fish," Edward Bloom, played by Ross, and Sandra Bloom, played by Scott, share stories with their daughter-in-Law Josephine, played by freshman Olivia Dunn, and their son Will, played by senior Daniel Norwood on Oct. 20, 2018, in the George S. Benson Auditorium. 1he musicalfocused on the Lives ofthese four characters as they reflected on the life ofEdward Bloom. I photo by Sterling McMichael 27 I HOMECOMING MUSICAL
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