For Daniel Wohlberg, a musical about second chances was his last chance to perform in AU Theater. Wohlberg, a marketing student, graduates this year. Before he turns his tassel, though, he had one last performance in this year’s Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Carousel. He played the part of Enoch Snow, a supporting character in a story about a man, Billy Bigelow, whose mistakes in life are contrasted with Snow’s successful marriage. In the end, Billy’s story is one of redemption.

Wohlberg is no stranger to the theater department, but his marketing major keeps his involvement to a minimum. As a member of Chorale, music has also been an important aspect of his life, and so it only made sense that Wohlberg should try out for the annual musical. He has been a part of each musical since 2003’s La Perichole. His part as Enoch Snow gave him his first opportunity to have several solos in a musical. In all of his experiences in AU Theater, Wohlberg favored Carousel for the depth of its story and characters. Wohlberg said, “People from the audience left with a lot more weighing on their hearts than if they had just seen a cheesy musical where everything ended hunky dory. The characters were people you feel for.”

A week before classes started, the cast was already hard at work on Carousel. They first focused on mastering the musical score, laying a foundation for the more difficult work ahead of refining their character portrayals. As a way to fully develop the characters, the cast worked overtime on several weekends to practice a technique called “Viewpoints.” Wohlberg explained the method: “You work more through your own abilities and find what tools you have [as an actor] and find ways to incorporate those tools into your character.” Through these special weekend workshops and regular rehearsals, the cast grew into their parts and developed a sense of family among themselves.

Besides regular rehearsal to polish the performance, the cast also organized into committees to ensure the best possible experience for the audience. Wohlberg was captain of the public relations committee which promoted the show throughout campus with posters. Other members of the cast also worked on building and painting the set. In some instances, the cast worked late into the night preparing the finer aspects of the show. One night members stayed up until 1 a.m. painting the floor of the set. “There’s a lot that goes into [a production] that you don’t really think about,” Wohlberg said.

By the time opening night came, the cast had practiced for over a month together and ran through the entire show countless times. “The first weekend, a lot of us got sick. We still trudged through,” Wohlberg explained, “It was still a good show… But the rehearsal process had been so much better.” With a disappointing opening weekend hanging over them, the cast resolved to make their next run even better. Wohlberg believes they delivered: “During the second weekend, I felt our performances were a lot better. Over all, I think the show was great.” The response from the community was positive, Wohlberg said, despite some questionable aspects to the show. The story involves several scenes where the main character, Billy, goes to different levels of heaven, suggesting a kind of purgatory. Another scene depicts domestic violence where Billy, in a fit of anger, hits his daughter. While the cast debated how to handle these controversial elements of the story, Wohlberg said that in the end, they believed the true intent of the musical would be clear. As audiences walked away from the show, the message of second chances rang loud and clear, and Wohlberg’s last chance had been a memorable portrayal in a musical whose power will not soon be forgotten.