T HE G REEN W AVE G AZETTE
P AGE 8
Making “High School Musical”
Stepping Out of Our Comfort Zones to Put on a Show
Allison MacLeod ‘19
Associate Editor
“This is the
epitome of
musical theater:
becoming
comfortable
with being
uncomfortable.”
Allison
MacLeod ‘19
Just a few months ago, many cast
members of the drama club’s
presentation of “Disney’s High
School Musical On-Stage” never
dreamed of auditioning for a show,
nevermind being cast. Neither did
Troy Bolton and Gabriella Montez,
the protagonists of Disney’s iconic
musical. From auditions to these
final days of rehearsals, my fellow
cast members and I have been step-
ping out of our comfort zones and
stepping up to the challenge.
The journey began back in Decem-
ber with the audition, which, simply
put, was awkward. I will not pre-
tend that auditioning for and per-
forming in a show is easier than
imagined; standing alone in front of
a table of four people whose job it is
to judge my talent was as vulnerable
as it sounds. Auditioning for my
teachers only heightened my nerves.
They knew who I was as a student
and even as a flute player, but
singing in front of them revealed a
different side of me, a facet of
myself that, despite my love of
performing, is scary to share be-
cause it is such an integral piece of
my personality. So how did it go?
There were mistakes, far more
memorable than the successful
parts of the audition, but that is
simply part of the theater process.
The next step of this process is
putting oneself out there in front
of approximately 50 people. With
such a large and new cast this
year, everyone was pushed to try
something new. I’m used to per-
forming, but other students were
pulled off the basketball court,
thrown onto the stage, and asked
to sing, dance, and act in front of
their peers. My biggest personal
challenge is learning the dances,
but what I lack in technique I
make up for in effort. This is the
epitome of musical theater: be-
coming comfortable with being un-
comfortable.
As we enter the final days of rehearsals
and prepare to present this to audienc-
es of hundreds, the last few scenes feel
all too familiar; high school students,
representing each clique, unite to
celebrate their success in rebelling
against the status quo. All of us, the
jocks and brainiacs and thespians of
Abington High School, dared to audi-
tion for this show and have been re-
warded with new experiences, friend-
ships, and memories. This is what
“High School Musical” is all about, and
this is what we need to remember in
the stressful whirlwind of full run-
throughs and tech rehearsals leading up
to opening night. After cast members
admitted that auditioning for a musical
was once a foreign concept, Drama
club veteran Leah Alessi ’17 asked an
important question:
“Are you happy you did?”
“Yes,” they all said with complete
certainty.
"Something Rotten" Comes to Boston
Just In time for the Music Department Trip
Olivia Sweeney ‘20
Staff Writer
Playbill Cover Art - Fair Use
“Attending the
musical in such
a large group
made the
experience so
much more
enjoyable.”
Olivia Sweeney
‘20
On January 25, a group of students from
Abington High School (AHS) and the Frolio
Middle School went to the Boston Opera
House to attend the musical "Something
Rotten." This was a music department trip
sponsored by the Abington Education
Foundation. Mr. Shannon, from the music
department, organized and hosted the trip
while Ms. Harrington (Music Department
Head), Ms. Clifford, Ms. Pflaumer (AHS
English teachers) and Ms. Poirier (AHS art
teacher) also attended as chaperones.
Around 50 students attended, and as we
made our way into Boston, the bus was
abuzz with excitement. Attending the
musical in such a large group made the
experience so much more enjoyable. Every-
one was smiling, and taking pictures. It was
very delightful for everyone who went.
Set in the Renaissance period, “Something
Rotten” is about aspiring play producers
struggling to find success while competing
with “the Rock Star” William Shakespeare.
Nick Bottom (Rob McClure) lives with his
wife, Bea (Maggie Lakkis), and his brother
Nigel Bottom (Josh Grisetti). The year is
1595 and Nick and Nigel have their own
theatre troupe. Nigel writes the scripts
while Nick comes up with the ideas for
shows. He is jealous and not very fond of
Shakespeare. Frustrated, he sees a fortune
teller who gives him the idea of producing
the very first musical.
Wayne and Karey Kirkpatrick wrote the
music and lyrics, and Karey and John
O’Farrell wrote the book for “Something
Rotten.” The Broadway production was
nominated for ten Tony Awards and won
for Best Featured Actor in a Musical
(Christian Borle as the Bard). It closed its
run on January 1 after 742 performances at
the St. James theater, and opened its The
National Tour in Boston on January 17,
only eight days before our visit. The tour is
now on its way across the country.
Directed and choreographed by Casey
Nicholaw, the performance we attended
was amazing; it was heartwarming, sad, and
hilarious at the same time, and there was
never a dull moment.
Greg Barnes’ costumes were so colorful and
eye-catching that it was hard to look
away. The singing was perfect, and there
was not an off-key moment. The entire cast
was in sync, and moved together very well.
For example, in the very first scene, the cast
performed "Welcome to the Renaissance."
Nicholaw’s choreography was perfect. With
everyone in-line, it featured all types of
dancing including ballet and jazz.
Scott Pask’s set and designs worked nicely
for the time-period and complimented
every scene. There was an enormous
amount of detail. It was evident that a lot of
time and hard work went into making
them. There were so many colors.
“Something Rotten” was one of the best
musicals this writer has seen.