Featuring happy music, colorful costumes and a whole lot of fun, Westfield High’s Choral Department will present its annual "Disney Dazzle" show. With a cast of 80, this bubbly, Broadway-style, musical revue is geared not just for children, but for the entire family.
The curtain rises next Thursday-Friday, Jan. 15-16, at 7 p.m. each night, and Saturday, Jan. 17, at 2 and 7 p.m., in Westfield’s auditorium. Tickets are $7, adults; and $5, children and senior citizens. Ticketing information is available at www.westfieldhschoral.org.
"It’s a song-and-dance show with music from Disney movies," said Choral Director Jessica Lardin. "It will feature large groups; small, ensemble production numbers; plus lots of solos and duets."
The students will perform songs from Disney hits including "Beauty and the Beast," "Newsies," "Pocahontas," "The Lion King," "Mulan," "The Hunchback of Notre Dame," "High School Musical," "The Little Mermaid," "Aladdin" and "Hercules."
"The choral students are primarily from two ensembles, Chamber Singers and Chorale, with some from the Men’s and Women’s Choruses," said Lardin. "And professional musicians will be accompanying them."
"It’s a highly entertaining production that showcases the talents of the students, both singing and dancing," she continued. "And now that this is the fourth year we’ve done it, people come to see it each year and it’s become a tradition. People [in the audience] know the songs, and it’s definitely the most well-attended show we do all year."
Noted local choreographer Yvonne Henry choreographed the show with an assist from senior Emily Joseph. "Yvonne gives them movement that enhances their singing and doesn’t distract from it," said Lardin. "Emily choreographed the ‘Newsies’ medley and has done an awesome job."
Although the students have been rehearsing since the beginning of the school year, Joseph started working on the choreography, two weeks before then. Besides "Newsies," she also choreographed "Seize the Day" and "Under the Sea" and helped revise the dance moves for the "Beauty and the Beast" song, "Just Around the Riverbend," from last year’s show.
"It takes up a lot of my time," said Joseph. "I’ve spent 50-100 hours coming up with the choreography, learning it and teaching it to the others. The hardest part is teaching my peers because they’re hypercritical, a lot of the time, and they’re also my friends. But I put so much of myself into the choreography and it’s a piece of work. So at that point, I have to step up and be in a leadership position."
What she likes best is "seeing what happens in my head — and everything I’ve tried to create — come to life on stage. Probably my favorite part, this year, is a section of the ‘Newsies’ medley that I choreographed where we actually slide off stage — it’s so much fun."
Joseph says adults will recognize and enjoy all the classic Disney songs, and "little kids will like the bright colors. ‘Under the Sea’ is done in black light, and all of the fish glow; that’s always a crowd-pleaser."
Senior Laurice Attia is a dance captain. "I help teach the moves to the songs," she said. "I target people who don’t know it, yet, to help them out. My favorite number is ‘Go the Distance;’ it’s a very powerful song, from ‘Hercules.’ I also like ‘I Won’t Say I’m in Love,’ from that movie. It’s a solo with three dancers and I’m one of the dancers. It’s really goofy and cute."
Hardest, she said, is "getting people to listen" when she’s teaching them. But, she added, "It’s nice being able to help these other kids learn the dances." Attia says the audience will have fun singing along with songs they know, such as "We’re All in this Together" from "High School Musical" and "Be Our Guest" from "Beauty and the Beast."
Junior Howie Bouchat sings and dances. "I’m in the Westfield Chorale, which is new this year and is a step up from the Men’s and Women’s Choruses," he said. "And I have a small solo in the ‘Newsies’ medley."
He was in "Disney Dazzle," last year, too.
"It’s really stressful but, once you get out there on opening night and everyone’s there, it all pays off," he said. "And the show’s a blast. Then afterward, you dress up as a character from your favorite dance and the kids [from the audience] come up and meet you."
Bouchat’s favorite number is "I’ll Make a Man out of You," from "Mulan," because he and senior Alex Kruszewski choreographed it together. Said Bouchat: "I think it’s going to look the best it ever has."
"Howie and I looked at the previous year’s choreography and polished it up so it’s our version, and it looks really great," said Kruszewski. "It’s definitely an accomplishment of teamwork." Kruszewski also sings a couple solos, including "I’ll Make a Man out of You."
But, he said, "What I’m most excited about is that, in the song, ‘Can You Feel the Love Tonight’ from ‘The Lion King,’ Rachel Shirley and I get to do a classical ballet dance. I studied ballet for a long time, but haven’t been able to use it on the Westfield stage — to the level I was taught — until now. I get to do several lifts and turns, so it’s very exciting."
"I love to sing and dance and, when you’re combining the two, there’s always a point where you can’t do one without the other, and they go together perfectly," said Kruszewski. "It’s a nice moment to experience and definitely adds to the energy of the performance. I hope everyone comes to see us all in ‘Disney Dazzle’ at Westfield High."