Enjoy this online exclusive from The Clarkston News

BY WENDI REARDON PRICE
Clarkston News Staff Writer
A well-known saying in the theater is the show must go on and it did as the Sutton Foster Ovation Awards were held virtually with nominees including Clarkston High School students Maryn McConnell and Quinton Muhleck.
Because of COVID-19, the two didn’t get to compete in the usual format. Instead, all of the participants sent videos and the performances were put into a collage and posted on Wharton Center’s social media.
Both reprised their roles from the CHS drama club’s winter production of “Guys and Dolls” and sang 60 seconds for the video they sent to the Ovation Awards.
McConnell, a senior who played Sarah Brown, chose to sing “I’ve Never Been in Love Before.”

“It was very fun to visit the character of Sarah again,” she said. “I definitely missed playing and singing her. I did get to choose the song I sang, which was my favorite song that I sang in the show.”
Muhleck, a junior who played Nathan Detroit, chose to sing “Sue Me.”
“I chose ‘Sue Me ‘over Nathan’s other songs because I feel ‘Sue Me’ gives me the biggest platform to let all of my emotions go in about 60 seconds,” Muhleck explained. “Nathan is supposed to be a very tough guy and so every time I got to sing ‘Sue Me,’ I poured out all of my emotions that came from my heart and showed my loving and heartfelt side towards Miss Adelaide, even in the video.”
He added he chose the best part of the song he felt represented his voice and acting abilities.
” At first, I thought it was going to be a bit difficult to pick out a good portion of ‘Sue Me’ to sing because Miss Adelaide and Nathan are going back and forth singing/hollering at each other during the song,” Muhleck shared. “But with a little help of my directors, we created the perfect cut to showcase my performance.”
He added he loved playing Nathan and it wasn’t hard to bring back the character months after the show ended.
“He’s such a fun character,” Muhleck said. “I spent so much time and effort to play Nathan to the best of my ability for the musical. He’ll always have a place in my heart.”

Both found out at the beginning of March they were nominated. Muhleck explained he received a message from Amy Seaman, drama club director, asking if he was available to meet for a few minutes after school.
“I had no idea she was going to tell Maryn and I the news she did,” he shared. “I was honestly a bit shocked. The other males who received the nomination are so insanely talented. I was so honored to represent Clarkston to say the least though. It took about a day for the shock level to go down, then I got right to work and started planning how I was going to perform to the best of my ability at the Wharton Center.”
It was the second consecutive year McConnell was nominated.
“I was honored to be nominated again,” she said. “I had such an amazing experience last year, and I was very excited to represent CHS again.”
McConnell and Muhleck added it was an honor to represent Clarkston.
“I definitely wanted to make my school and community proud,” McConnell said.
“It was an amazing honor to represent the performing arts of Clarkston,” Muhleck added. “The town of Clarkston has been so supportive of the arts at CHS. I was so excited to represent my amazing community.”
Both have spent time during the stay home order doing schoolwork and spending time with family.
McConnell added she is “just trying to make the best of this weird time we’re all living in.”
“I’ve been doing a lot of singing and performing songs with my brother, Jack,” Quinton said. “He plays the guitar and is always looking for a partner to play along with! We sing our songs to our family and friends, virtually or at a distance, once we’ve practiced them. Sometimes it’s hard to find a song we both like because we have polar opposite tastes in music, but it’s easy to say music brings us together. It is an escape from the uncertain times we’re living in. Other than that, I’ve been fairly busy with my online schooling and have been surprisingly busy with virtual drama club meetings which are always the highlight of my day.”
McConnell’s last day as a senior was May 19, and she plans on attending Oakland Community for a year.
“During the time, I will be auditioning for different musical theater programs to hopefully find a school where I can finish my degree,” she shared. “Because performing arts colleges are so expensive, staying home for a year will save me money in the long run.”
She added it was an honor to be part of the CHS Drama Club and she will forever cherish the memories and opportunities it gave her.
To the community, she sends a big thank you.
“I would like to thank the community for all of their support to the senior class this year,” McConnell said. “All of your effort to make this graduation time special despite these circumstances does not go unnoticed and it truly means a lot to us.”