Ann Arbor Pioneer students record song from canceled spring production remotely

Theater group dedicates video to 2020 seniors

Members of the cast of Pioneer Theatre Guild's spring production of Les Miserables perform "One Last Day" from their homes. (Pioneer Theatre Guild)

ANN ARBOR – A recent video posted by Ann Arbor Pioneer’s Theatre Guild gives meaning to the phrase “the show must go on.”

When senior Dana Steiner learned that the group’s spring production of Les Miserables was canceled, she pitched the performing-in-place idea.

Recommended Videos



“I wanted to create something special so we could all have a memory and something to share about how amazing this show would have been,” Steiner said in a statement. “I am a senior at Pioneer and this would have been my last musical with my younger brother and my PTG family. We decided to dedicate this video to the PTG Class of 2020 seniors.”

In the video, the cast performs Les Mis’ famous song “One Day More.”

The group had only rehearsed the song in person once before schools were closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The production’s music director played the accompaniment for the video.

Steiner, who edited the video, described the process.

“To help everyone record their parts, I sent out an instruction video and sample recordings of every ensemble vocal track,” Steiner said in a statement. “Every cast member who wanted to participate recorded themselves singing their part a cappella while listening to the accompaniment in headphones. I got sent each video individually -- 35 total -- at the beginning of May and spent weeks editing them all together.”

We’d say it was a big success. Congratulations, Class of 2020.

Like what you’re reading? Sign up for our email newsletter here!