NHS ‘Show Boat’ Production Leaves Waves Of Applause In Its Wake

By Susan Coney

The Newtown High School Drama Club production of Show Boat, under the direction of George Vollano, met with great success this past weekend. With the entire cast and crew on pins and needles, a spectacular performance was presented to sell-out crowds. Despite numerous obstacles the performance exemplified the true show biz spirit that “the show must go on.”

Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein’s collaborative musical production of Show Boat is about overcoming struggles with prejudice, family relations, marital abandonment, and the perseverance of life. In a truly collaborative effort, the cast, crew, teachers, and parents pulled together to make it a magnificent performance.

Starting with dress rehearsal, Wednesday, April 6, which was performed for area seniors, it was clear that the entire student body of Newtown High School wanted this production to be a success. Theresa Jossick a resident from Nunnawauk Meadows was delighted by the treatment she and other seniors were given by the Newtown High School Student Government, the culinary students and the cast and crew from Show Boat. Ms Jossick beamed, “From the moment we entered the building we were greeted and treated with the greatest respect and kindness. It was heartwarming and the children are to be complimented. Everyone was so kind and we were treated with such dignity. These kids learn compassion by doing things like this. The food was delicious, like going to a fine Italian restaurant and then to a wonderful show. Why go to New York?”

Several different aspects of doing a production of this magnitude are worth noting. The set in itself required great thought and detail in order to accurately portray The Cotton Blossom riverboat. Cap’n Andy Hawks’ floating palace/theater was in fact a riverboat structure, which rotated on 54, three-inch cast wheels. Several cast members were employed, turning the riverboat to depict different stage scenes. From a triple-decker riverboat, to a kitchen, to the Trocadero Nightclub set in Chicago, the boat platform was always present on stage.

In fact, the structure was so heavy it left quarter-inch grooves in the floor. Set designer, Andrew Knapp, noted that as time went on the structure was easier to move because it had worn its own track in the wooden floor. Enormous plywood panels were decorated with maps and murals of various drawings depicting post-Civil War era, all painted by students. All in all more than 300 sheets of plywood were used to construct the sets.

Assisting Mr Knapp with the set were student technical director Sarah Copeland, stage managers Alicia Tolson and Melissa Russell as well as several other NHS students who worked on lighting, construction, and set painting. Mark Laslo, a crew member, remarked, “The boat was so heavy, sometimes during rehearsals it got stuck, but never during a performance. It was awesome to be part of something like this. It’s the most fun you can have in four months.”

As the play progressed the muted tones of the scenery as well as the costumes begin to take on more vivid color. More than 400 costumes were used in the production; most were rented from The Papermill Playhouse, in Millburn, N.J., with additional costumes provided by Costume Bazaar in New Haven. The costumes, representing styles spanning 40 years, from post-Civil War attire through Art Nouveau and into the Art Deco era styles presented a challenge to the costume crew. Under the watchful eye of costume coordinator Michelle Greenfield and her crew — Alexa Feldman, Remy Ball, Abby Atkinson, Sarah Gutbroad, and Jackie Gutbroad — the costume changes ran smoothly.

The orchestra, conducted by Kurt Eckhardt, and comprised of both students and adults, added wonderful authenticity to the score. The musical score blends gospel, jazz, blues, and romantic ballads.  Director of Music for the Newtown Public Schools, Michelle Hiscavich played a dual role as producer and violinist for the production. Ms Hiscavich commented, “The kids are amazing, the way they came together, they can do anything!” 

Adult violinist Natalya Shamis said, “It was really like a professional production. We help the kids to prepare for this and they are very serious. Michelle Hiscavich does a really good job with the kids, she is a treasure to this school.” Cellist Zakhary Paranyuk agreed, “It was a great performance, such talent, the kids were perfect! I don’t know if any school in Connecticut has such a superb art and music department.”

Vocal director John Harned and Judy Abbatello, choreographer, were thrilled to be working with the talented cast of Show Boat. The musical score reflected four decades of American music and included well-loved tunes such as “Ol’ Man River,” “Can’t Help Loving That Man of Mine,” and “Make Believe.”

 Many incredibly talented students were involved in the production. The story of Show Boat revolves around Cap’n Andy (Paul Ashey), his wife Parthy (Brianna Eckhardt), and their daughter Magnolia (Evan Barbour), who live aboard the Mississippi riverboat. The extended family of actors and workers aboard the boat include romantic leads Julie (Jackie Curran) and Steve (Greg Gordon), dancer Ellie (Amanda Eventoff) and “villain” Frank (Steve Petrovich), Magnolia’s gambler husband Gaylord (Matt Grills), and Magnolia and Gaylord’s daughter, Kim (played by Jessica Braun, Tory Marlin, and Becky Huot). Eric Bagger, playing the role of Joe, a riverboat worker, belted out the most memorable song of the production, “Ol’ Man River,” which was repeated periodically during the performance. Tara Meehan portrayed Joe’s feisty and humorous wife, Queenie, the Show Boat cook.

Despite several changes being made in cast midway through rehearsal, which required a tremendous effort on the cast and crew to overcome, they found the determination to see the project through. Matt Grills, a freshman at Western Connecticut State University stepped up to the plate when asked to take the lead role of Gaylord when it became vacant. He commented, “It was weird coming back to high school at first. I had to do the part, I came back to help the kids, I wanted them to have a show. Sometimes it looked like there wasn’t going to be a show but George, Andy, and Ms Hiscavich rallied the kids together and everyone had fun so I guess it was successful!”

Year after year the Newtown High School Drama Club continues to delight the community with spectacular performances, including this year’s performance of Show Boat.

The Cast

Students in order of appearance and their roles: Eric Bagger as Joe; Tara Meehan, Queenie; Greg Gordon, Steve Baker; Jason Graves, Pete; Brianna Eckhardt, Parthy; Nathaniel Basch-Gould, Windy; Erica Vacaro and Sheena Finlayson, girls; Paul Ashey, Cap’n Andy Hawks; Amanda Eventoff, Ellie May Chipley; Steven Petrovich, Frank Schultz; Jacky Curran, Julie Laverne; Matt Grills, Gaylord Ravenal; Max Barrett, Sheriff Ike Vallon and Trocodero owner Jim; Evan Barbour, Magnolia Hawks; Melanie Beck, “Misery” soloist; Joe Curran, Jeb; Nick Varga, another backwoodsman and The Great Sandow; Elsa Gillis, La Belle Fatima; Jackie Buda, Olivia Carbonell, Becky Huot**, Tory Marlin*, and Alexandra Vetrano**, show girls; Kamdynn Moroney, Kim at 4; Stephanie Paproski** and Anna Grillo*, Kim at 10; Jessica Braun, Ethel; Samantha Mitchell, Mrs O’Brien; Sara Greenfield, Mother Superior; Joe Curran, Jake; Elsa Gillis, Lottie; Maggie Demarco, Dottie; Jonathan Larsen, Drunk; Becky Huot* and Tory Marlin**, Kim; Melanie Beck, Jessica Braun, Maggie DiMarco, Nikia McFadden, Keilly McQuail, and Samantha Mitchell, “Wicked” stage girls.

*Thursday and Saturday, **Friday and Sunday

Stevedores and Townspeople were portrayed by Melanie Beck, Taylor Boles, Robin Collins, Diana Curcuruto, Liz Ericson, Kaitlyn Ferguson, Sara Greenfield, Annie Grills, Sarah Holroyd, Cassandra Montanez, Paige Meehan, Liz O’connell, Carol O’Keefe, Cheryl Orrico, Stephanie Paproski, Sydney Russell, Tara Ryan, Carden Ryder, Kate Stickles, Teresa Taylor, Erica Vacaro, Max Barrett, Nathaniel Basch-Gould, Ethan Breitling, Derek Calderera, Joe Curran, Patrick Dunseith, Greg Gordon, Jason Graves, Alex Hennessey, Jonathan Larsen, Cristian Montanez, Nick Petrovich, Kiernan Shanley, Liam Shanley, Ryan Silveira, Brian Stickles, Stewart Tabler, and Nick Varga.

Dancers were Jackie Buda, Olivia Carbonell, Erin Clark, Kristen Defilippe, Dayna Djonne, Elsa Gillis, Becky Huot, Carolyn Hydeck, Tory Marlin, Lesley Oberstadt, Sarah Parker, Katie Sudbey, and Alexandra Vetrano.

Children were portrayed by Zoe Destories, Annie Donnelly, Sheena Finlayson, Anna Grillo, Katie Holroyd, Colton Moroney, Kamdynn Moroney, Morghan Moroney, Madeline Petrovich, and Margaret Sullivan.

 

Orchestra

Members of the orchesta: Shannon Bell, Alicia Rogers, Emily Hill, Ross Novgrad, Jeremy Hodge, Tom Schreiner, Louise Barringer, Nick Drabik, Kurt Eckhardt, Steve Ortiz, Nick Isles, Mark Mahoney, Jim Walker, Mike Frost, Meghan Johnson, Jonathan Pope, Natalga Shamis, Michelle Hiscavich, Lindsey Jones, Alison Lones, Emily Loose, Jill Pellet-Levine, Byron Kim, Zachary Paranyuk

Behind The Scenes

Michelle Hiscavich, producer; George Vollano, director; David F. Wicks, Jr, muscial director and conductor; Judy Abbatello, choreographer; John Harned, vocal director; Kurt Eckhardt, orchestra director; Andrew Knapp, set designer/technical director; Michelle Greenfield, costume coordinator; Craig Gehr, lighting designer; Alicia Tolson and Melissa Russell, stage managers; Emily Fiorey, assistant stage manager; Judy Curran, program; Cheryl Barbour and Barbara Danzinger, publicity chairpeople; Cyndi Demarco, ticket sales; Laurie Trotto and Earl Gordon, food concessions; Rosanne Beck and Cindy Mitchell, flower concessions; Diana Paproski, T-shirt sales; Sarah Copeland, backstage coordinators; Sarah Copeland, co-technical director; James Kaechele and Tim Sykes, master carpenters.

Bill Manville, construction crew head; construction crew: Michael Bass, Declan Chadbourne, Matt Cole, Sarah Copeland, Steve Greytak, Charlie Huot, Paul Kastner, Jack Laslo, Mark Laslo, Terry Laslo, Tyler Lones, Sasha Mastro, Erik Randlov, Steve Petrovich, Ethan Reed, Jordan Reed, Harry Sylveira, Brian Tenney, and Gene Vetrano; Allie Hornak and Komal Sandhu, master painters; Carly Filler and Jennifer Truchsess, painting crew heads; Jessica Gaddis, Nora Mielikainen, and Audra Oliger, painting crew; Michelle Greenfield, costume crew head; costume crew: Abby Atkinson, Remy Ball, Alexa Feldman, Jack Gutbrod, and Sarah Gutbrod.

Brian Tenney, master electrician; Zoe Velush-Rogers, prop mistress; Emily Johnson and Diana Rawson, prop crew; sound by Horizon Sound; Farley Miller, sound crew head, and Mark Laslo, sound crew; Lindsey Walker and Joanne Kean, makeup; Kari Barrett, hair; and lighting crew: Declan Chadbourne, Mark Laslo, Tyler Lones, and Eric Randlov.