Clovis teen lands musical role

CANYON — A Clovis teenager has landed a role in the outdoor musical "Texas."

Erin Pearce, 19, was cast to perform during "Texas'" 52nd season at the Pioneer Amphitheater in Palo Duro Canyon State Park in Canyon, Texas.

Performances are every night except Mondays through Aug. 19.

Pearce auditioned with 900 others and landed a chorus role. She also alternates performances of a character in the show named Eula. Though a minor character, Eula does have solos.

Pearce, who just finished her first year as a vocal performance major at Wayland Baptist University in Plainview, says the audition was "absolutely" nerve wracking and she and her family waited for over a month to hear the results.

Once she heard back, she said preparations "started really quickly and just haven't stopped."

Cloyce Kunhert, "Texas" music director, said "(Pearce) is every bit as comfortable as seasoned performers."

Kunhert is married to Pearce's voice teacher, Brian Kunhert.

"We have very strong singers in the show, so it was very competitive for her to get in and she did," Cloyce Kunhert said.

Pearce said it was Brian Kunhert who encouraged her to audition for "Texas."

Pearce said she has loved her experience so far and is excited to see where it leads. When she first enrolled at Wayland, Pearce declared a major in music education, but said she was "nudged" by educators to pursue performance.

"I didn't have a lot of performance experience before," Pearce said, but was cast in "Little Shop of Horrors" as Audrey at school.

Pearce said she hasn't decided whether she prefers musical theater or opera.

Pearce was also cast in the opera "The Marriage of Figaro" as Cherubino. Many of those cast in "Texas" also perform in the opera. It's scheduled Aug. 6-7 on the campus of West Texas A&M University.

"I'm going to get my feet wet in opera and then see where I want to go," she said. "I can just go and see what I'm good at and see what suits me."

She said her time with the cast and crew of "Texas" has been "a really unique and special experience."

In addition to more time on stage, Pearce has had to learn choreography, and she has immersed herself in the world of entertainment.

"We've got people who have their master's degree who have been doing 'Texas' for years and then you've got people like me who are just out of their first year of college," Pearce said.

Cast members who do not live in the area are set up in apartments in Amarillo during the summer, Pearce said. They follow a strict schedule of rehearsals for "Texas" and the opera as well as dance class and of course the performances are held six nights a week.

"It's tough, but at the same time, we love it," she said.

"Texas" Director David Yirak said about 40 percent of the cast members return each summer.

"The majority of cast is college aged, for many its the first or second professional job," Yirak said.

Though the basic plot line of the show remains constant, Yirak said the crew makes some changes in the dialogue and adds or removes songs each year.

The musical features a love story and conflict over land between ranchers and farmers.