Part of a three part series by JCHS senior Josh Kopen, who participates in the theatre program.
Your name is called and you enter the room. You approach the table, with as much confidence as you can muster, staring at multiple sets of eyes intently watching you. You step back. This is the moment of truth. You open your mouth and pray that all your hard work will be manifested right now, right here. Before you know it, music flows out of you and you begin to embody your chosen character.
This is the experience many JCHS students experienced this last week as they put themselves out there auditioning for the school’s yearly spring musical. From theatre novices to aficionados, the musical draws a great number of students every year who willingly put themselves through this grueling process for a chance to appear in the show and live out their dreams of performance.
For those who have never auditioned before, students prepare and memorize a cut from a song and then must perform in front of a secret panel of judges who will ultimately cast the show. In addition, this year had dance auditions where students could showcase their movement abilities. The lucky few made it to callbacks, an extra round of auditions where the judges distribute scripts to the actors and ask them to play the characters despite the actors’ lack of familiarity with the lines.
When all is said and done, the show is cast and rehearsals began not long after. Each year, the cast list brings an interesting mix of excitement, disappointment, and contentedness from differing members of the cast. It would be impossible to make everyone happy and often directors have to make tough decisions in order to put on what they believe to be the best show possible. Although outsiders may not realize it, theatre is filled to the brim with competition, which hopefully teaches all participants lessons and pushes them to grow themselves in the future.
This difficult process has concluded for this year’s production of The Addams Family and the cast has been set. The show includes a zany slew of characters, including the matriarch and patriarch of the family, Morticia (Anna Rizzotti) and Gomez (Josh Kopen), their two children, Pugsley (Sam Mulick) and Wednesday (Erica Blanco), their loopy Uncle Fester (Kyle Elphick), their decrepit grandmother (Noelle Gizzi), and their zombie butler Lurch (Louis Lombardi). This bonkers clan is joined for dinner by Wednesday’s boyfriend, Lucas Beineke (John Franklin), and his parents, Mal (Dante Savanello) and Alice (Regina Peters), as well as a large thriving ensemble of Addams Family ancestors. If this piques your interest, make sure to audition next year or inquire with Mrs. Baglivio to see how you can be a part of the show this year as either Stage Crew or Pit Orchestra. If you are not interested in joining, still make sure to come out and see this can’t-miss-show this March. You won’t want to miss your opportunity for a night with the spookiest family around!
