This past weekend students in the South Lakes High School were rehearsing and preparing for the ninth annual Broadway Night show at 7 p.m. Jan. 24-25 (weather depending) at the school’s Little Theatre. Cast and crew were at the school making sure everything was ready for opening night. “This is my first year doing costume design, but my third year doing production for the play,” said South Lakes senior Allison Scheler.
Audiences will enjoy the music of Broadway musicals from 1962 to the present in this year’s show, “#Generations X, Y, Z” which will feature songs from the musicals “Matilda,” “Edges,” “Cinderella,” “Anything Goes,” “Rock of Ages” and more.
“This year we are highlighting the audience’s perspectives on different generations,” said Scheler. “I made sure the costumes were appropriate to date. It is fun to work with different costumes and different personalities.”
“Many of the more recent Broadway shows are featuring music and artists from the ’50s, ’60s, ’70s and ’80s, introducing our current generation to this music,’’ said Rita Gigliotti, director of choirs at South Lakes High School. “While new to them, it is reminiscent for their parents and grandparents. To add to this twist, there will be a hashtag associated with each song in the review to incorporate today’s social media hype for our ‘Z’ generation.’’
More than 120 students from South Lakes Pyramid schools are participating in this musical theatre intensive centered around teaching students who want to grow in voice, acting, dance, and technical theatre. South Lakes choral students assume leadership roles in running every aspect of the show: performing, directing, production, technical theatre, publicity, costuming, choreography, all in a three-week period.
Alec Bright, a South Lakes senior is helping operate the sound booth. “Since it is a cabaret, it becomes more of a challenge to adapt to all the sound levels,” said Bright.
Brigid Doebrich, a sophomore, is also a member of the chorus group the “Do Re Migas” and will be representing a character of the millennial generation. “We can build our own characters, and that is real cool,” said Doebrich.
Guidance and instruction is provided by Gigliotti and other performing arts professionals. Chorus alumni who have performed in past Broadway Night shows also come back annually to assist Gigliotti and her team. Among them are Catherine La Valley, now a student at George Mason University and Eric O’Brien, a student at New York University. “We have been helping the students so they feel comfortable being the character,” said O’Brien. Also assisting in the production is Ryan Washabaugh, a former voice student of Gigliotti.
Tickets for the shows, which in past years have sold out, are $15 for adults, $10 for students and seniors. Tickets can be purchased at www.southlakeschorus.org under the tab on top called tickets.