The cast of "Blast" at Churchill High School: Back row, Enoch Lee, Nick Tondravi, Govind Anand, Sloane Momsen, Mackenzie Testa, Alex Scott, Danny Espinoza; front row: Ethan Miller, Adam Newburger. This number was choreographed by Sloane and Mackenzie. Photo by Deb Stevens.
‘Opposition’
Performances will be held on March 20 and 21 at 7:30 p.m., on March 23 at 2:30 p.m. and on March 27 and 28 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $15 for students and $20 for all others and are available at the door one hour before the performance or online at www.wchsarts.com.
Blast from the Past 26: “Opposition” will be held at Winston Churchill High School Auditorium, 11300 Gainsborough Road, Potomac.
“Opposition” — this year’s thematic thread that weaves through the 26th Annual Blast from the Past song and dance production — brings to light the concept of opposition within musical numbers. Song and dance numbers rock the stage, bringing the audience to its feet while highlighting conflicting feelings and moods. Such numbers as “Hot Hot Hot” and “Baby, It’s Cold Outside,” “Girl On Fire” and “Cool Boy,” “Hard Days Night” and “Easy Like Sunday Morning” bring the perception to life.
Blast From the Past has been a long-standing musical production at Winston Churchill High School, showcasing the talents of the student cast and technical/production crew, as well as the dedication of the director, technical director and the parents. The show requires the efforts of 143 students who serve not only as singers, dancers, band members, carpenters, sound and audio technicians and choreographers — but who search for just the right costume, practice dance moves and support one another and their teachers when yet another snow day is called by Montgomery County. The extravaganza has been a “not-to-be-missed” show within the Potomac community for 26 years.
This is Director Matt Albright’s second Blast at WCHS. “My hope is for everybody to enjoy the selections, not from an overall concept of a lyrical and musical portrayal of the concept and idea of ‘Opposition,’ but for our students and parents who have worked tirelessly on this production. I appreciate the community coming out to celebrate the Arts at WCHS — to see the creativity and the talent that makes this show so unique. We have amazing musicians, dancers and other talent within our school and I am pleased that we can offer a showcase for a wealth of versatile performers,” Albright said.
Students serve in a variety of capacities for the show and take on many of the responsibilities. They work on costumes, serve as stage managers, lighting crew, voice captains, back-up singers, student directors, dance captains and many other roles. Mackenzie Testa and Sloane Momsen are dance captains who choreographed many of the numbers in the show. “We created many of the dances, but always had to keep in mind the various dance skills of the performers, and then teach the dances to them,” said Momsen. “It was very rewarding to see our visions come to life.”
Testa said, “It has really been fun this year because we have been in control of the choreography, able to be totally creative with it and make it our own.” Both are graduating seniors who are hoping to continue performing at their respective colleges in future years.
Junior Nathan Berg serves as company manager for the production while also playing in the band and singing in some of the numbers. For him, being a manager is one of his favorite positions since it helps get all the behind-the-scenes work done. “I’ve enjoyed the experience of managing a large group of people and serving as the organizer,” he said. “It is a really original and fantastic show this year.”
The evening of songs includes “The Sound of Silence,” “Set Fire to the Rain,” “It’s Rainin’ Men” “Man, I Feel Like a Woman,” “Hard Day’s Night,” “Earth Angel” and “Ebony and Ivory.” The shows’ finale is “Happy.”
Performances will be held on March 20 and 21 at 7:30 p.m., on March 23 at 2:30 p.m. and on March 27 and 28 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $15 for students and $20 for all others and are available at the door one hour before the performance or online at www.wchsarts.com.
Blast from the Past 26: “Opposition” will be held at Winston Churchill High School Auditorium, 11300 Gainsborough Road, Potomac.