Carousel Earns Standing Ovations
| View a Video Clip of the HHS Drama Club Production 'Carousel' |
As the audience settled into their seats in the Huntington High School auditorium last weekend, few could possibly have known the real treat they were in for. Three hours later, the crowd was on its feet cheering as the cast, crew and pit orchestra took their deserved bows following three near flawless performances of Carousel, the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical.
Pulling off a successful high school musical is no easy feat. There's just so many moving parts to such a show that something inevitably goes wrong, but if that occurred in Huntington last Friday and Saturday, no one noticed.
"This will go down as one of the most outstanding productions any Huntington High School drama club has ever produced," said Superintendent John J. Finello, who watched the finale from the auditorium balcony. "It was just an incredible show."
An atmosphere oozing with professionalism permeated the high school auditorium. From the acting and music to the scenery, props, costumes and sound system, this was a production several cuts above what just about any other high school anywhere can stage.
The show starred Jonah Kramer and Chelsea Holmes along with Emily Mormile, Rebecca Deegan, Richard Gray, Anna Harris and Mikah Feldman-Stein.
The cast also included Josh Morris, Daniel Moya, Mercury Caronia, Hannah Rice, Stephanie Shea, Katherine Gerdes, Katelyn Postiglione, John Ferraiolo, Emily McGoldrick, Laura Ironman, Diana Frank, Brielle Blatt, Ben Wyrick, Marc Widerman and Anna Wertheim.
Huntington drama club faculty advisor Michael Schwendemann is a known perfectionist and he can be very tough on the actors during rehearsals. He's a master at coaxing out the best efforts of the teenagers, who universally respect and like the teacher and mentor. Ken Gilbert is equally demanding of the stage crew that he supervises. "I thought the show was performed without a hitch," said Mr. Gilbert in his typically understated way.
Brian Stellato served as the musical director and the teacher brought the 38 member pit orchestra to a level rarely seen in a high school musical. Veronica Mainville was the vocal coach and Michelle Mallardi handled the show's choreography. Seniors Danielle Cerezo and Mary-Liz O'Neill were the assistant directors.
The actors performed their roles with an attention to detail that was simply astonishing. The stage crew worked its magic with creative sets of scenery and the sound and lighting was top notch. The pit orchestra hit just the right notes at the right time and the musicians and actors worked seamlessly with one another.
"The singing, dancing and acting were really remarkable," Mr. Finello said. "The acting approached professional standards. If any one group has ever deserved a standing ovation it was this one!"
The acting included a degree of poignancy and even tenderness that's rarely seen in a high school production. There was strong singing by Anna Harris, Rebecca Deegan, Jonah Kramer, Chelsea Holmes and Mikah Feldman-Stein. The dancing was top notch, too.
Brielle Blatt's graceful and skilled ballet segment in the third scene left the crowd in awe. The actors performed their roles with enthusiasm and even flair and there were no obvious slip-ups along the way.
Many are surprised to hear of the enormous amount of hours that goes into a Huntington High School drama production. How the teenagers can attend daily classes for seven hours, complete their assignments, maintain high grades and still spend hour-after-hour rehearsing and constructing scenery is a testament to the group's dedication and expertise in juggling their individual responsibilities.
The weekend crowd included a cross-section of the community, including members of the Huntington School Board. Joan Roberts, a veteran Broadway actress, also attended one of the performances. She acted in the legendary 1943 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, Oklahoma! She was introduced to the crowd and later commented she thought the Huntington performance was outstanding.
"Everyone associated with Carousel should be proud," Mr. Finello said. "The show was fabulous."