Local high schools unite for 80s rock-inspired musical
KTVZ – News Team
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Summit High School and Bend Senior High School are teaming up for their first-ever joint production, Head Over Heels, a jukebox musical set to the chart-topping hits of The Go-Go’s.
Inspired by Philip Sidney’s The Countess of Pembroke’s Arcadia, the story follows the royal court of Arcadia after a prophecy from the Oracle of Delphi warns that the kingdom will lose its “Beat” — the life force that keeps its prosperity alive.
Determined to defy fate, King Basilius leads his court on a wild journey through the woods filled with mistaken identities, unexpected romance, and gender-expansive disguises that challenge tradition. The show unfolds as a colorful celebration of authenticity, acceptance, and love.
Featuring high-energy vocals, a live rock band, and a bold Ancient Greece-meets-the-1980s design, the production invites audiences to groove along to iconic songs like “We Got the Beat,” “Our Lips Are Sealed,” “Vacation,” Belinda Carlisle’s “Heaven Is a Place on Earth,” and “Mad About You.”
Head Over Heels is directed by Lara Okamoto, co-directed by Madeline Schreiber, with music direction by Angelina Anello-Dennee and choreography by Emily Tompkins. The live band is directed by Cooper Ottum.
Performances run December 5–7 and December 11–13 at the Summit High School Auditorium, located at 2855 NW Clearwater Drive in Bend. Showtimes are at 7 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, and 2 p.m. on Sunday, December 7.
General admission is $15, with discounted tickets available to students (18 and under) and seniors (65+) for $10. The show runs about two hours and 30 minutes, including a 15-minute intermission.
For tickets, audience guidelines, and more information, visit summittheatrecompany.com or contact Lara Okamoto at 541-355-4190 or Lara.Okamoto@bend.k12.or.us.