Baldwin Excessive Faculty is about to carry out its spring musical – in individual – later this month.
The solid of round 34 college students will carry out “As soon as Upon a Mattress,” a musical comedy with lyrics by Marshall Barer and music by Mary Rodgers. Joe Joyce, the varsity’s newly-hired musical director and choreographer, described it because the fractured fairy tales section on the traditional cartoon “Rocky & Bullwinkle.”
“It’s mainly a ‘Saturday Night time Dwell’ model of ‘The Princess and the Pea,’” Joyce mentioned.
The musical will premier on April 22 at the highschool’s auditorium, with a senior preview present at 1 p.m. on April 18. Tickets are $12.
Within the musical, the princess of an sad kingdom is unable to sleep on a mattress of many mattresses due to a tiny pea, which is positioned beneath the underside mattress.
College students have been rehearsing for the reason that second week of January below “extraordinarily covid-aware” situations, Joyce mentioned. He mentioned the scholars have their temperatures taken earlier than rehearsal and they’re all masked. When the scholars started choreography, Joyce mentioned they wore gloves due to the shut interplay, nonetheless that rule was lifted just lately, he mentioned.
Joyce, 63, is initially from Brookline, however has lived and worked in theater in New York City for the final a number of a long time. He now lives in Mt. Lebanon.
Joyce changed Jason Coll, who retired just lately after years as its musical director and drama membership sponsor.
Joyce is aware of he has massive footwear to fill.
“They’ve had fairly a popularity for the final 10 to 12 years,” he mentioned.
Coll earned the varsity’s theater program two “finest in reveals” from the Gene Kelly Awards and Kris Kranter, who served earlier than Coll, additionally snagged two of these throughout his tenure within the early 2000s.
“The highschool has a terrific custom and historical past of nice musical performances,” mentioned Jim Nowalk, president of the Baldwin-Whitehall Mates of the Theater Arts. “It’s persevering with now with (Joyce).”
Nowalk, who additionally serves as Whitehall’s mayor, has served because the group’s president since its founding in 2004. The group helps college students in fundraising for performances and gives two $1,000 scholarships to college students concerned in this system transferring on to school.
“I’m very enthusiastic about the truth that it is going to be a reside efficiency this 12 months,” he mentioned. “I feel, in lots of respects, the group is in search of for social engagement that we’ve got misplaced. This is a chance to convey folks collectively and clearly, we’re going to look at (Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention) tips.”
College students will carry out in masks which can be clear, Joyce mentioned.
“That manner, we are able to all see vital feelings on faces but in addition hold college students secure,” he mentioned.
Joyce mentioned he’s excited to let college students hear reside reactions from an viewers whereas performing.
“I’m particularly excited for seniors. Sadly, they’ve had a lot taken from them this final 12 months, with no promenade and different issues seniors usually get to do. They’ve actually labored onerous over these previous couple of months,” he mentioned.
He’s excited for a shock he has coming for the scholars performing, courtesy of his connections on Broadway. The scholars will even be sporting costumes worn within the musical’s 1996 Broadway revival, due to these connections. The wardrobe will come out of Costume World in Boca Raton, Fla.
Musical dates embody April 18, 22-24, 29-30 and Could 1.
For extra data, go to bwschools.net.
Dillon Carr is a Tribune-Evaluate workers author. You’ll be able to contact Dillon at 412-871-2325, dcarr@triblive.com or through Twitter .
