NHS Prepares For Upcoming Play ‘110 In The Shade’

By Eliza Hallabeck

Students involved with the upcoming Main Stage Musical, 110 In The Shade, at Newtown High School were busy this week preparing for the show, which opens for audiences March 12 and runs through March 15.

Two students in particular have been preparing something different for the musical; seniors Allyson Makuch and Mary Kate Hubbard were double cast for the lead role, and they will be splitting the performances of the show.

“It’s nice how the two of you have really shared this together,” John Harned, NHS choral director and director for the musical, told the girls on Tuesday, February 3.

According to a release for the show, the musical is based on the play The Rainmaker by N. Richard Nash. 110 In The Shade, by Harvey Schmidt and Tom Jones, is the tale of a con man who rolls into a drought-stricken town and changes the lives of everyone he touches, especially the local spinster, Lizzie Curry.

Mary Kate and Allyson will share the lead role of Lizzie, alternating performances. They will be joined by fellow seniors Quinlan Mitchell in the role of Starbuck, the man who sweeps the tiny town of Three Point, Texas, off its feet, and Dan Berlingeri as File, the town sheriff who does not quite know what he is looking for from life.

“We both sort of play [Lizzie] really differently,” said Mary Kate.

Both girls described the character of Lizzie as a woman who lives and takes cares of two brothers and her father. She has romantic dreams, and wishes of having a husband.

“That’s all she really wants in life,” said Mary Kate.

“Yeah. To love,” Allyson finished for her.

The performances will take place at Newtown High School on Thursday, March 12, Friday, March 13, Saturday, March 14 at 7:30 pm, and a special matinee on Sunday, March 15, at 2:30 pm.

Mary Kate said she will be playing the performances on Thursday and Saturday.

“I portray [Lizzie] as a sweet lonely woman who has compassion for her family and just wants to share that love,” said Mary Kate.

Allyson will be playing the performances on Friday and Sunday.

“My Lizzie is more masculine,” said Allyson. She added that she approached the character from the aspect of Lizzie not having a mother figure. “She’s just as loving, and just as caring, just more boyish.”

Allyson said the play is written with only two main female characters, and splitting the performances of the lead character of Lizzie gave the school the option of having three NHS girls play in the musical.

“It’s been really great,” said Allyson, “both of us playing together.”

They both said they have been rehearsing by switching who would practice during which scene. They also both agreed that they were afraid at first at the idea of splitting the performances.

“I was scared that there is someone to compare me to,” said Mary Kate.

Allyson said both of them realized that just because they are in high school, did not mean they had to act catty toward each other.

When asked which performances they were telling people to go to, both Mary Kate and Allyson joked at first that they would tell people to see their own performances. Then they both agreed on another option.

“We would say go see both if you can,” said Allyson.

Mary Kate said the two different portrayals of Lizzie’s character add to the underlying theme of the play.

“It just reinforces the whole meaning of the show, that beauty comes in different forms,” said Mary Kate.

Mr Harned, who said this is the first time he has seen a performance at the high school double cast, said Allyson and Mary Kate have been helping one another.

“I was worried about ever double casting a role because I wouldn’t want it to turn into a competition, but these two girls have been so supportive of one another, it has really opened my eyes to the kindness that exists in this school,” he wrote in an email.

English teacher Abi Marks is the show’s producer; the production involves more than 100 students on stage and behind the scenes, singing, acting, dancing, and designing costumes, scenery, and painting.

The show features ballet and tap choreography by Jen Turey, owner and artistic director of Dance, Etc, and a pit directed by NHS Band Director Kurt Eckhardt.

Tickets can be purchased by calling 426-0678 or by email to nhs110tix@aol.com. Price is $17 for adults, $15 on Thursday only, and $15 for senior citizens and students, $12 on Thursday. Checks should be made payable to NHS Drama Club.

NHS Musicals are fully funded through ticket sales and contributions from the community.

For more information, visit www.nhschoral.com.