I never walk when I can run / I  don’t believe I ever could / People try to slow me down / saying boy you really should / kick back and chill but / I can’t stand still!

That’s one of my favorite songs from Footloose and I think it describes the cast at this point in the show. It’s so close to show time, and we’re all really excited, but we’re not quite there yet! I can’t wait to see Devon (Ren) sing and dance to it. I also really like the rap, “Dancing is not a crime”, which is a crime but not a rap in our show, however. Sort of disappointed with that because I think the rap is fun, but it’s just the show. It also works a lot better for the scene.

My last dance rehearsal was Wednesday. We did  the finale, which thankfully showcases the adult characters. Not to be a total “Debbie Downer”, but it’s frustrating when you’re inhibited from dancing, a huge, impressive part of a musical. I was happy to dance with my show husband, Coach Dunbar. The adults get to dance down a line, and I feel like I gotta come up with a pretty sweet aisle dance! I was actually surprised at how well I picked up the dance. I came a long way in my dancing and I’m proud of that. It’s not easy for me to be a dancer. I don’t learn dances quickly, but I can perform them with quality once I do. There’s so many talented dancers that come out and do the show, it’s really great to see.

Having it be my last dance rehearsal is so weird. I used to love them, especially during February break because we’d learn a dance in a DAY. My guess is that it takes four or five straight hours for a cast to learn a dance well enough to perform it, and it was nice doing it all in one day. It was fun goofing around with my friends in an empty school – I remember doing “Human Again” from Beauty and the Beast in the cafeteria. I felt like we had all the time in the world, then. Without those rehearsals, I’m surprised we’re pulling together so well.  The snow day today did put us back a rehearsal, which was going to be our first (possibly)complete runthrough. Yikes. All lines memorized, off book, dances clean… it can be ugly. But that’s what review is for, and we’re going to be great once the show rolls around! That’s why we work so hard.

We did get our set, also! I saw some nice church looking window thingamabobs, as well as a sign for the dancing place the teens go to. It’s like a rodeo, which is very cute. Apparently a lot of our tech crew built it. I think we are putting it together the weekend before hell week, which is the second week of March.

On an unrelated note, I would like to keep the tech crew in everyone’s minds. A lot of them and a few of the cast lost a good friend this past week, and I would just ask that everybody keep them in their prayers.

I’m trying to come up with some photo’s from rehearsals, and hopefully I will have some soon. Stay warm, everybody!

So. For the first time in my experience the musical isn’t going to be directed by Marsha Predovic. Because of family health issues, the head of the upper school, Jim Fyfe has come in. I look at it as a blessing and curse. I love Marsha dearly and I would have loved nothing more than to experience my last school musical with her directing, but being directed by Mr. Fyfe is a whole new experience and it will make the rehearsel process all the more exciting!

I have rehearsels all week and have already attended two rehearsels, both of which have gone well. The Shakesperian English gets easier as you go. It’s getting easier to understand as I get into it. What I didn’t realize was that the play is very short… but there is a LOT, and I mean a LOT of music. We’re singing “Good Vibrations” which tends to be painful for me because it constantly has me floating between falsetto and my regular singing voice which is difficult to do without croaking but we’re going to see if I can train myself to be better at it!

Other than that everything is going well. I’m looking forward to what this show holds. What Im most excited for right now… the costumes!

Every year, the cast list is posted after chorus class. There’s always a crowd of people surrounding it, mostly freshmen and first time show people who are kinda baffled. I stood to the side and struggled to find my name. There it was. Next to… Eleanor Dunbar. If I hadn’t done Footloose before, I would’ve been confused and said, “Who?” She’s the coach’s wife, and is pretty much an ensemble member with a few lines. I won’t lie, I was crushed for multiple reasons. Eleanor doesn’t sing, and doesn’t dance because her character is an adult and the adults forbid the kids to dance. It was a big let down, but I just figured I’d make Eleanor Dunbar the best she’s ever been, and channel my feelings that way. Her lines are vague with very little personality in them, but it gave me the ability to make her my own. I made her into a raving lunatic June Cleaver so far, and the praise of my friends for making such a little part stand out makes me feel better about the situation.

But thats that, and the show will go on whether I’m a Dunbar or run on stage dressed as a penguin. My grade is full of talented people and I’m so excited for everyone to get to see that. Kelly Curtis is the main lead, Ariel, and has a beautiful voice. Devon Krobetzky is playing Ren and has been doing theatre since he was able to walk. I really think the class of 2010 has the most talent than any other year, and that’s going to make for a great show. Everyone has something different to bring to the table.

Rehearsals started with music rehearsals, and we try to go in chronological order of the show. Music rehearsals are usually two hours, while dance is three or four. Blocking is also three hours. Depending on your role, you have rehearsal once a week if you’re in the ensemble, and if you’re the lead, you probably have it three or four days out of five. There are more rehearsals as we get closer to the show. Right now, we just had our first Act 1 stumble through. I think it went pretty awesome. Usually those can be like a trainwreck, but all the leads knew their lines and the dances weren’t so terrible. Sometimes, rehearsals can be so long and exhausting that you wonder why you’re in the show – then you remember its because you love being exhausted! haha. Hell Week is my absolute favorite part of that. Hell week used to mean rehearsal lasts from 3-10 pm, but now it seems to be lasting from 6-10 pm. Most people complain but I LOVE being at rehearsal until late hours. That’s when I work best and I just love being there. To be honest, Id love if rehearsal was 3-10 like it used to be! Last year, we had a 3-10 rehearsal in addition to some during the school day, and it was so much fun…. for me, at least. You can’t get great shows like we’ve been producing if you dont put in the hard work.

We’ll see how it all goes tomorrow, the day after February break. People’s brains tend to go mushy and forget when they don’t do things for a week. I think it’ll be fine, though. We’ll be starting Act 2 I believe, which really turns the play around. I’m not worried. We have a talented cast and great support team.

Just a reminder, the show is the second and third weekend in March! Tickets are not expensive and SO worth getting! we sell out fast though, so it would be a good idea to call in advance.

Been workin so hard / I’m punchin my card. / Eight hours, for what? / Oh tell me what I got.

Those are the opening lyrics that myself and I think many others feel at long, draining rehearsals for Harrison High School’s Footloose. I’m Marisa Urgo, president of HHS Footlight, and have been a member for several years. Footlight has literally been my life. I love those shows, and I give them my all. Our musical is right around the corner, and being a senior, I’m a little terrified! Thrilled, but terrified. Thrilled because it’s going to be a great show, terrified because I’m a senior and it’ll be my last.

What was so exciting about this show is, simply, it’s different. Footloose is simply a different show then what Harrison has been doing. In the past, we’ve had an incredible team of two. Lynn Fusco is our chorus teacher in school and musical director for the shows since she came to Harrison four years ago. She teaches us the music and drills it into our brains. If you think that’s an easy job, you’re so wrong. Ever try to teach a huge group of chatty, bratty, annoying 14-18 year olds? Much harder than it looks. She’s brilliant, and well liked among the cast. We’ve also had Jason Summers as our choreographer and director. I’ve never met anyone like him. His sense of humor makes everyone lighten up and you know he really, truly cares for every kid in that cast. As choreographer, he shows us how to dance which in my opinion, is the hardest job. None of us are prima ballerinas. As director, he works mostly with the leads to bring out their acting skills but also blocks the show, which means he tells us all where to stand in a fancy way.

This year, we’ve changed it up quite a bit. Jason just directs now, and Jacqueline Gregory is our choreographer. She’s also the dance teacher at our school and talented at what she does. That’s been the biggest change, but there are other tiny ones that are changing the dynamic of the show, like less rehearsals and especially the removal of the long ones over February break.

Footloose started before it began, if that makes any sense. Auditions were in December, but by late October, rumors were spreading like wildfire. “She’s going to be Ariel”, “He can’t dance to save his life”, “I really hope I get this!” type of thing. I know that my heart was set on getting Rusty. I’ve never had a lead before and thought, my senior year, after I put so much hard work in, there would be a shot. I practiced my audition song and had a small upper hand over everyone else because I had already been in Footloose over the summer of 08. I knew what type of music the show is about, and what song to prepare.

For some, auditions are frightening. Of course they’re scary – no one likes being judged. For me, it’s just something I’ve gotten used  to. I sang “Fools Fall In Love” from All Shook Up and was asked to read for the part of Rusty. Before that was a dance audition, where Ms. Gregory taught us the opening number and we danced it back for her in single lines. I thought I did well overall, but this part meant A LOT to me so I was still really nervous. With auditions, you never know.

So… stay posted for the next step! The Cast List.

I’m just waiting for the rehearsal process to really start! The cast  list went up and I got the part I was really hoping for, Captain Tempest, so I know I’m going to have a good time.

The Shakespearean English is really growing on me and I actually thing the show is sort  of cool. Nonetheless I am a little nervous to learn all of the lines.   I do get to sing “Young Girl” which is exciting cause it’s one of my favorite songs in the show. The only thing I’m really worried about is  the dancing… I’m FAR from a good dancer and the dances for this show looked like they had the potential to be complicated at dance  auditions. Lots of robotic movements and lifting and so on and so  forth, but I have faith in myself and the entire cast!

Looking forward to when rehearsals really kick off as I hope they will  next week! I’ll have something to do after school again! I’m so excited to work with all of my friends and start singing again. Until then, I can just anticipate!

Auditions for “Return to The Forbidden Planet” have just kicked off.

I was a little taken aback with the Shakespearean language used to write the entire script of this show but it’s sort of exciting because it is so completely different, although I’ll have no idea how to memorize them when the time comes.

Right now I’m sort of hoping to be cast as Captain Tempest, he’s a self-centered sexist captain of the ship and he seems like he’d be fun to play. He also sings “Young Girl” which might be a lot of fun. I’m also turbo excited for the costumes, like seriously, all this futuristic stuff is gonna be awesome.

Anyway, there’s not much more to talk about. Have a dancing on audition on Sunday! We’ll see how that goes! Until next time, when things are really starting off!

We thought it’d be a good idea to kick off this year’s My High School Musical blog by asking our three student bloggers why they like to do theater. Here are their thoughts:

Marisa Urgo, Harrison: The question is always posed: What was the highlight of your high-school career? For me, it was the high school musical. There is nothing like standing on a stage before your peers, the spotlight on you, just doing what you love to do. It is something so beautiful to see all the hard work you dedicate yourself to for months become a living, breathing performance on the stage that blows the audience away. I do the musical because theatre is how I express myself, and to see the end result is an amazing experience.

Doug Daniels, Stepinac: I am the current holder of “The Magic” in my school’s theater. This title represents how I am basically the president of the drama club and gives me a leadership quality in the theater. The theater acts like a second home to me. I see the stage as a place where a person can leave behind all their troubles of the day and take on a new personality. Acting is one of my favorite things to do. I enjoy entertaining people and being around others who enjoy the stage as much as I do. For me, with every new play comes a new adventure. I am able to play a different character or take on a new personality. The road from auditions to final bows is long and tough but the excitement is in the journey. Practicing at home in your spare time or just running through a scene quickly before your entrance makes a person stronger in their understanding of the character and in understanding themselves. The drama club has helped me to become a better and more outgoing person. Through this blog I would like to inspire others to feel the same way I do about the theater. I hope this blog helps others to see the enjoyment of the theater.

Tim Bidon, Rockland Country Day: Why do I do theater? Well, first and foremost it’s a whole lot of fun. I love coming out of school after hours of studying and note-taking and being able to step out “Timothy Bidon” and step into a different role to play. Rehearsal always consists of laughter and when you’re in a production you make really close friends with the rest of the cast. Musical theater is so special because it’s so unlike real life. Subconsciously, we all wish that the world would randomly break out into song. I mean, come on, how many of our problems would be solved if we sang? But in all seriousness both singing and acting are great forms of expressing yourself so if you do both at the same time you’re like a tidal wave of expression! Acting is what you make it and what I love most is that the same role is never played the same way twice. Every role you get assigned gets your own personal flavor and it either works or it doesn’t, but the risk is what makes the theater such an exhilarating experience.

Pete Kramer: OK, so why do YOU do theater? Leave your answer in a comment below. If you have a question for our bloggers, post it in a comment…

Three high-school seniors will take us along for the ride as they prepare to appear in their final high-school musicals.

Harrison High School’s Marisa Urgo: Marisa is President of Harrison High School’s Footlight Players and has been a member since her freshmen year. She has played roles from a Nubian slave (“Aida”) to a golden, sparkly fork (“Beauty and the Beast”). She has participated in theater in and outside of school, and will direct her own student-directed play in the spring.

Archbishop Stepinac’s Doug Daniels: This is Doug Daniels’ fourth year with the Stepinac Drama Club. The White Plains native has performed in “The Manchurian Candidate,” “Thoroughly Modern Millie,” “The Crucible,” “Singin’ in the Rain,” “One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest.” In last year’s “Curtains,” he played Daryl Grady.

Rockland Country Day School’s Tim Bidon: Tim, of New City, started his theater career when he joined the RCDS musical production of “Grease” in the 8th grade. He was in “Once  Upon A Mattress” in 9th grade and “Oklahoma!” in 10th grade. Last year, he expanded his horizons and did the fall drama, “It’s A Wonderful Life,” and the musical “She Loves Me.” Last fall, he appeared in “One-Act Plays By David Ives” and he’s preparing to audition for his final high-school musical: “Return To The Forbidden Planet.”

So, yesterday was the last performance of She Loves Me.  it turned out better than I expected.  Not only did the cast a crew do a great job, but the audience loved the show.  Truthfully, a lot of us were a little unsure whether it was going to turn out, but it did!  ah the magic of theater.  The stage was so hot, though, that when I took off my costume, there was a band of sweat where my belt had been on my dress.  it was H-O-T hot.  The poor audience.

This is also my last show. I loved being Ilona and I’ll miss her.   It was a bit emotional for all the seniors and for our director, but I’m excited to be able to come back in years to come and see what other shows Marsha and Dennis do and how they do them.

I don’t know what else to really say except that theater is such a magical thing.  It can transform shy kids into loud, wise-cracking characters.  It can turn badly behaved kids into dedicated members of the cast.  There are no words to describe what theater has done for me or what it will continue to do for other kids.

HEY!  So we have been teching it up until about 11:00 at night.  So, I am mundo tired.  But there’s a dress rehearsal today and then the SHOW!  So come and check out all of our hard work. The times are:

Friday, April 24 @ 7pm

Saturday, April 25 @ 2pm and 7pm

Sunday, April 26 @ 7pm

P.S. I’m sorry I haven’t been writing.  We have been working too late, and I have been getting up too early to even check my e-mail.  Thanks, tech rehearsals.