KYLE MURPHYStaff Writer

Something will be lurking in the dark under the moonlight on July 12 in Tullahoma. Is it the night creatures calling as the dead start to walk in their masquerade? No, but instead it will be the sound of a crescendo of Catherine “Cat” Murray and her cast of smooth criminals as they will be living life off the wall with the 18^th “HIStory Told by Her: A Michael Jackson Tribute Show” fundraiser.

Show time for the annual musical and dance tribute to Michael Jackson is 7 p.m. on Saturday, July 12, at Tullahoma High School. All tickets are $15 and children under three are free. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Tickets can be purchased at McMurr’s, located at 101 W. Ogee St., Tuesday through Friday. Tickets will also be available on the day of the show at the high school starting at 6 p.m.

Tickets can only be purchased by cash or check.

Each year, proceeds from the show go towards either a nonprofit organization or project that helps the community. This year, Murray said all the proceeds will go towards purchasing playground equipment for Jack T. Farrar Elementary School.

“I just wanted to raise funds for them to get something special for the children,” Murray said.

This isn’t first time the show’s proceeds have gone to Farrar, as when she started the show back in 2011 as way to raise money for a new sound system at the elementary school.

“Yes, we are here again for them ‘cause I love my Frogs,” Murray said.

As for why is the show a tribute to Michael Jackson? That’s because the King of Pop has been a part of Murray’s life for 56 years.

“His music and voice have always inspired me to sing,” Murray said. “For my very first talent show I talked my younger sister into doing ‘ABC’ by the Jackson Five and I have been hooked ever since.”

Murray won’t be singing alone as she will be joined by her dancers, consisting of students who either grown up with the show and or have been a part of it. For Murray, having the privilege of watching the dancers in the show grow to young adults is one of her favorite aspects of putting on the show.

“Some of them were in first grade when we started, and they will now 21 years old,” Murray said.

Creating their HIStory

 This year’s dancers joining Murray are Cateria Alexander, Ashlynn Batten, Amara Blackburn, Andrew Carmack, Kassy McElhaney, Paizley Northcutt, Audrey Sellers, Kaylee Smith, Kennedy Southern, Courtney Tune and London Winn. Also joining the team is DeAngelo Brown, who has been lending a hand for all 17 shows.

For the dancers, the majority have been a part of the show for a couple of years at least. In the case of Courtney Tune, this will be her first time performing and said it has been a lot of fun to rehearse and prepare for the show. While the show has not taken place as of writing, Courtney said thus far “Dancing Machine” is her favorite part of the show, but “Thriller” would be her favorite to perform, which she foresees to be something she will remember.

“My favorite memory from this show will be the theme of ‘Thriller’ and incorporating it into the show, costumes and all,” Courtney said.

Meanwhile, Cateria Alexander said she has been participating for 12 years, when she was just three-years-old. For her, the experience, friends, memories and making a difference in the community has been her reasons to come back to the show.

“Being in this show has built friendships, memories and opportunities,” Cateria said.

She added her favorite part of the show is interacting with the crowd and making memories with them. For Cateria personally, her favorite memory was when her brother took to the stage to rap in the show.

Another experienced dancing machine on stage is Andrew Carmack, who started when he was in second grade and will begin his senior year. For Carmack, being a part of the show has always felt like a dream come true.

“Michael Jackson was the first artist I fell in love with and he helped drive the love and passion I have for music and dancing today,” he said. “And to have the opportunity to be a part of a show with a group of people that also has that same feeling is just incredible.”

He added that he’s been coming back to do the show was being with his family of fellow dancers.

“We’ve all grown up and gotten close and it’s always better when we’re on stage together,” Carmack said. “Having the ability to portray such an iconic person has been a blessing for me that I’ll always be grateful for.”

As for his favorite memory, Carmack recalled when he got to be a security guard for Murray and a former dancer, where he speared tackle a “fan” played by another dancer, during the song “Human Nature.”

“It was a very funny moment and I’m glad I was able to be a part of it!”

Kaylee Smith, another tenured dancer for 11 years, said the atmosphere and people are what make the show an exciting experience.

“It’s like getting to go on stage and perform with your family,” Smith said. “We’ve watched each other grow up and there is something so special about that.”

For Smith, dancing is her whole life and enjoys expressing herself through dance.

“I come back to continue performing and do what I love most, even though I’ve grown up a little more,” she said.

Smith said organizing and coming up with new themes for “Thriller” has always been fun for her, while her favorite memory, it was choreographing and performing “Dirty Diana”.

Kennedy Southern, who has been a participant since she was six-years-old, said participating in the show, and giving back to the community has been very fun. In fact, Murray and the way the show helps the community is what brings Southern back to the stage. She added her memory is being on stage with Murray every year.

“Ms. Cat is an amazing person and role model,” Southern said.

For Kassy McElhaney, she has been a part of the show on stage for about a decade, but she has been in the audience at the shows long before she put on her dancing shoes.

“It’s always so much fun and for good cause,” McElhaney said, “especially this year–‘Once a Frog, Always a Frog!’”

Besides the energy of the show, McElhaney said she keeps coming back to the show to be with the people she dances with, who she now considers family, and seeing everyone grow. As for her favorite part of the show, she said it’s the opening.

“The first time seeing everyone and getting the crowd hyped up is awesome,” she said.

For McElhaney, her favorite memory is when her little sister Paizley Northcutt joined her and started doing the shows with her.

Northcutt, like her sister, has been in the audience watching the show before she let the madness in the music get to her and grooved alongside her sister for the last three years, which has been some of her favorite memories. Besides dancing with her sister, Northcutt said knowing the show is for a good cause has been what’s drawn her back to do the show, and it being fun to do too. 

“Participating in the show is fun and good for giving back to the community,” Northcutt said.

Also having participated in the show for the last three years, Ashlynn Batten said it’s been extremely fun to be in the show. She said her favorite part of the show is the crowd’s involvement. As for her favorite memory, it’s been the friends she’s made along the way.

“I love dancing and making and seeing all the friends I’ve made,” Batten said.

For London Winn, this upcoming show will be her fourth show and what keeps brings her back has been the people.

“Not only is the show itself fun, but to participate in the show bonds us dancers together and calls for so many great memories,” she said.

Like her fellow dancers, her favorite part of the show is the fan favorite “Thriller” and seeing what the year’s theme is for the show. As for favorite memory, Winn admitted she was young the last time she did the show, but said it was show day.

“Between the anticipation of getting ready to start it and the excitement of seeing so many people there to watch you,” she said.

Audrey Sellers has been participating for five to six years, and said the people and the music are what bring her back each time.

“It’s always fun to be in the show,” Sellers said. “No matter how bad of a day I have had coming to practice and being in the show is worth it.”

Sellers said the beginning of the show is always her favorite part. As for her favorite memory it was her first show when she dressed up as Glinda from “The Wizard of Oz” as part of performing “Thriller.”

“I got to do some of my ballet stuff,” she said. I just remember it being so fun.”

As for Amara Blackburn, who has been participating for about five years, she comes back to do the show because how fun it is and the people.

“It’s an incredibly fun experience with lots of focus and nitpicking, but also lots of goofing around and just having fun,” Blackburn said.

Blackburn said her favorite part of the show is when they bring in everyone, including the crowd, on stage and dance together. When asked what her favorite memory is, she said didn’t have one.

“I really do love all the memories I have been able to make,” she said.

When it comes to her favorite memory, Murray said it was everything about the show.

“Giving back to the community. The energy during the show. The friendships the dancers have built with each other. Getting to sing 22 Michael Jackson songs live and keeping the show fresh with surprises for people that have seen all 17 shows,” Murray said.

She continued and said, “I always say, if you’ve seen one HIStory show, you’ve seen one HIStory show.”