Local high school string quartet joins touring Beatles musical

When the touring show “In My Life - A Musical Theatre Tribute to the Beatles” returns to the Vacaville Performing Arts Theatre on October 19, be on the lookout for two quartets -- not just one.

The Vacaville High School string quartet has the privilege of joining the professional actors on stage to add an element of orchestral texture to the evening.

Here’s the rundown:

The show: “In My Life” is the musical retelling of the Beatles story through the eyes of manager Brian Epstein and featuring the live music of renowned tribute band Abbey Road. The band features Chris Paul Overall (“Paul”), Nathaniel Bott (“John”), Jesse Wilder (“George”) and Axel Clarke (“Ringo”). Brian Epstein is played by Murphy Martin. The production includes multimedia, period costumes and vintage instruments. It has toured for years, with a critic for the Orange County Register at one point declaring, “If you see one tribute show, see this one --smart and loads of fun.” The show performed to a sold out audience at the Vacaville Performing Arts Theatre in 2013.

The string quartet: Vacaville High School seniors Jessilyn Belleau, Alexandra Schlosser and Melissa Adams and sophomore Samantha Long will join the band for the songs “Eleanor Rigby,” “Yesterday,” “A Day in the Life,” “Hello Goodbye,” and “Hey Jude.” In a special touch, “Yesterday” is played as a scene in which the Paul McCartney character plays the song for the first time for Beatles producer George Martin, with the songwriter explaining that he envisioned a string-quartet accompaniment.

How the “Beatles” connection was started: Last year, the producers of “In My Life” approached Vacaville High School Director of Orchestras Vivian Stanley and invited the school’s quartet to perform with the show when it played the Vacaville Performing Arts Theatre.

“We look for talented ensembles who can hold their own with a rock band in front of an audience,” said “In My Life” producer, Andy Nagle. “Vaca High’s quartet performed beautifully and we asked them to perform again with us at this year’s show in Vacaville.”

The show commonly uses a local quartet to augment the production while on tour.

The quartet’s Beatles fans: Long and Adams are the Beatles fans of the quartet. Adams’ favorite Beatles tune is “Come Together” and Long’s preferred song is “Eleanor Rigby.”

The details: “In My Life - A Musical Theatre Tribute to the Beatles” returns to the Vacaville Performing Arts Center on Sunday, October 19 at 7 pm.Tickets are $39 for adults and $35 for seniors and children and may be purchased by phoning (707) 469-4013, online at www.vpat.net or by visiting the box office. The Vacaville Performing Arts Theatre is located at 1010 Ulatis Drive in Vacaville 95687. “In My Life” played to a sold out audience at VPAT in 2013. The show is appropriate for all ages.

And here is some additional information about the Vacaville High quartet:

Jessilyn Belleau has been playing the violin for ten years. “I love how versatile the instrument is and how it allows me to play both classical and modern pieces,” said the senior. “When everyone in the orchestra is playing their parts correctly, it is such a powerful feeling.”

Jessilyn volunteers after school with a child care center and plans to attend college in the fall.

Alexandra Schlosser has been playing the viola since the fifth grade. “I like the deepness in tone of the viola,” said Alexandra. “I love playing the instrument and I feel as though I have a natural talent for it.”

She is a member of her school’s Nurse Club and is a second cousin of country music star Dolly Parton.

The senior aspires to attend California State University at Long Beach and one day work in music therapy.

Melissa Adams has been playing the violin for seven years and is also a pianist. “I love classical music and playing the violin is a great way to channel that,” said Melissa.

In addition to playing music, Melissa trains as a ballet dancer and has been taking dance since the age of three. The senior has a 4.3 grade point average and plans to attend BYU Provo and study bio technology.

Melissa is a Beatles fan and her favorite Fab Four tune is “Come Together.”

Samantha Long has been playing the cello for five years and also plays the piano and ukelele. “I love the low tones of the cello,” said Samantha. “I like the people in orchestra and playing music together is a lot of fun.”

The sophomore has a 4.0 grade point average and hopes to attend the University of California, Berkeley and major in Journalism.

Samantha is a Beatles fan and her favorite song is “Eleanor Rigby.”

Vacaville High School Orchestra Director Vivian Stanley has been teaching for 31 years and has a Bachelors of Music Degree from the University of the Pacific. She performs the flute with the Archangelos Ensemble of Napa Valley.

And here is some additional information about “In My Life”:

“In My Life: A Musical Theatre Tribute to the Beatles” is the award winning, smash hit musical biography of the Beatles as seen through the eyes of their manager Brian Epstein and featuring the live music of renowned tribute band Abbey Road. This family friendly musical tale is widely considered by industry insiders to be the most unique Beatles show in decades.

“The show delivers!” said the L.A. Times. “If you see one tribute show, see this one – smart and loads of fun,” said the O.C. Register. “This is the ticket for you,” said the Idaho Statesman. “The most original of all the shows on the Beatles,” San Diego Theatre Review.

More than just a Beatles tribute concert, “In My Life” gives the audience a chance to “be there” at pivotal moments in the extraordinary career of the Beatles - from Liverpool’s legendary Cavern Club, to the Ed Sullivan Show, Shea Stadium’s 50,000 + screaming fans and their final live performance on the rooftop of their Apple Corp offices. With manager Brian Epstein serving as Narrator, “In My Life” allows the audience to get a glimpse inside the world of the Beatles from their point of view, as well as hear some of the greatest songs ever written.

“In My Life” takes the audience back to February 1964, when Americans saw the Beatles for the first time on the Ed Sullivan Show, playing I Want to Hold Your Hand. Progressing through their various musical stages, the audience re-experiences the psychedelic era of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, the creation of the haunting Yesterday and the raucous rock and roll of Revolution.