Stop the Presses! Have you heard the news? Need to read all about it? Centereach High School presented Newsies The Broadway Musical this past weekend, performing four shows April 11-13 and it was nothing short of amazing! The story follows lead Jack Kelly, Davey, and Katherine, played perfectly by Zachary Atkinson, Percy Fetherston, and Tatiana Arezzo as the newspaper delivery boys go on strike in NYC in 1899. It’s an intriguing story line with great songs and dance numbers.
Think a high school musical isn’t all that – well you would be wrong. Not only was it a great night out for anyone who attended, whether you had a high schooler involved or not, but if you only knew what went into this performance you would be doubly impressed. Under the direction of Brian Hough and Sean Gatta, auditions and rehearsals started in January. Approximately 110 students come together for on average ten hours a week for three and a half months. After, and in addition to their day at school, homework, and other activities. Towards the end of rehearsal, as they enter into what’s referred to as tech week, the hours get even longer and significantly more intense as they run through the entire show over and over, incorporating the sound, lighting and costumes, fine tuning every last line and movement.
Around 35 kids made up the cast of Newsies; all who audition make the cut. Mr. Hough lets everyone willing to put in the effort to get on that stage. Mr. Hough said his biggest reward in directing these productions is the growth seen in all of these students. “As an educator, one of the most rewarding things is to witness the students grow over time, from freshman to senior year, slowly maturing. But during the four months from auditions to the final curtain – the rapid and extensive growth I witness, seemingly in the blink of an eye is amazing – maturity, work ethic, talent, overcoming obstacles and more.” says Hough.
Kids come in not even fully aware of their own talents and capabilities but willing to do the work, and then the talents develop. There is nothing better than a young person who goes from “I can’t” or “I dont” to “I can” and “now, I’m pretty good.” There is a lively and lengthy tap scene in Newsies where all 35 kids are on stage performing a tap dance. Most of those students only just learned to tap during recent rehearsals and the dance was very well executed. Lisa Groshans, the choreographer, who has worked alongside Brian Hough for two decades, makes this happen and it looks like they’ve been dancing together for years.
A production has so many parts that must come together seamlessly and that is also handled predominantly by students. The remaining kids involved are stage crew, orchestra, sound, and lighting. The High School’s cosmetology students are called in for hair and makeup, other students are sewing costumes and painting the sets. Most of these crews were led by students as well. Many great lessons are learned here as well: leadership, project management, deadlines, and improvisation. When something goes wrong in live theater, a missed line, a toppled prop, the show continues on; it stops for no one.
Something a little different this year was that on stage with the 35 students were six parents and three faculty members. One parent, Dave Washington, joined his daughter Joelle, a newsie, in this performance. Mr. Washington was no stranger to the CHS stage as he performed in Hairspray eleven years ago when his oldest son, Isaiah, had the role of Seaweed. Parents have always volunteered in the past but usually to paint the set, help make the costumes, or to conjure up some local businesses to take out ads in the playbill. Liz Taich, one such mom this year, was on set to sew thirty pairs of pants even though her son Finn graduated last year. Finn had the role of the Beast in last year’s production of Beauty and the Beast.
Mr. Hough decides what shows he wants to do based on a variety of criteria, some of which is strategic for the future of the program just as much as it is for the present. He sometimes chooses shows that will encourage elementary and middle school-aged students – future high schoolers – to either have parts in the musical or want to come and see the musical. Such parts include the children in The King and I, salt and pepper shakers in Beauty and the Beast, or Les, the younger brother to Davey in Newsies played by Jeffrey Arezzo III, who is currently a sixth grader and the actual younger brother to Tatiana Arezzo.
By involving the younger students, he is potentially starting them on the path to be his stars later on.
A perfect example of this is Alyssa Sposato, now a young adult. She came to the CHS stage from middle school, eleven years ago, and performed in Beauty and the Beast (2013), this led her to follow musical theater path and she has held numerous lead roles throughout highschool such as Ursula in the The Little Mermaid. She has since graduated and gone on to become a music and theater arts teacher. She is now setting the stage for future generations to carry out these musical performances.
Mr. Hough and his dedicated team have built a reputation for producing quality productions and he credits the real support of CHS Principal Tom Bell and Director of Fine Arts Dr. Diana Cook. From Mr. Hough’s early days as director, Mr. Bell and Dr. Cook were key in getting the school quality sound, lighting, and stage equipment. This provides a strong foundation to produce that quality of a show. The quality of the show then attracts more students to participate as well as more community members to come see and support.
The students involved on the stage and behind the scenes not only have accomplished something to be very proud of, they also have had the time of their lives.
Bravo! Centereach High School, Bravo!
