As the end of the school year approaches, students at James Caldwell High School have had to say goodbye to their favorite activities, including sports games, musical performances, pep rallies, and the drama department.
On March 9, the James Caldwell High School Theatre Arts Program (JCHS TAP) completed the final in a series of performances of its annual spring musical. This year’s performance Lucky Stiff, with book and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens and music by Stephen Flaherty, directed by Randy Bobish, music direction by Kaeden Oh, and choreography by Heather Downey was uniquely special to eighteen senior students who would be making theatre for the very last time on the JCHS stage.
Senior cast members include: Jeffrey Bosslett, Joseph Carsillo, Annabella Grosso, William Krusznis, Abigail Mautone, Sophia “Moon” Rael, Ekaterina Roberts, Kite Rozell, Robert Savastano, Braden Schu, Jane Weinfeld. Senior crew members include: Rex Kearns, Ezra Reiser, Holly Bruchac, Mollie Fileti, Taylor Green, Fiona Laddey, Arly Reinhardt.
In the 2024-2025 theatrical season, JCHS TAP had also performed Clue, a stage play inspired by the classic and beloved board game in November 2024. But the spring musical, which normally has a higher rate of participation by students, seems to hold a special place in the hearts of many who have created a sense of camaraderie with one another while putting together musical productions throughout the years.
Many of the eighteen seniors have been involved in JCHS TAP productions since the fall of 2021, when they first entered high school as eager freshmen ready to take the stage in Puffs, or Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic and Magic. Since then, senior Moon Rael, who has been a part of JCHS TAP since 2021 and has participated in eight JCHS productions, has felt like they’ve grown as an actor, as well as personally. “I was more introverted when I started theatre, it’s really brought out the extrovert side of me, which I love”, reflected Rael.
Senior Jane Weinfeld agrees, adding that theatre at JCHS has been a unique experience because to her it means, “being able to express yourself in a way that you can’t in a lot of other aspects of school. It gives you real experiences and teaches you things that you will use in everyday life”.
Many seniors share the sentiment that theatre has maintained a safe space for them to be creative outside of the classroom, on the stage and for others, behind the scenes. Stage manager Ezra Reiser, who joined the stage management team in the spring of 2023 during a musical production of Grease, has watched as the stage crew has grown in size, strength, and confidence since their freshman year.
“Looking back, my freshman year, I think people overlooked the stage crew. At the very end though, I think things have changed. People are finally understanding how much work we put in, especially under Mr. Bobish’s direction”, says Reiser. “I am proud of all of them and I will miss them”.
As a fellow senior in the theatre department, it was an indescribable feeling to take my final bow in Lucky Stiff. The joy I felt expressed from my loved ones in the audience and from my fellow cast and crew was palpable. In my opinion, one of the most intimate moments we shared as seniors was before we went on stage for our final performance, and were spoken to for a final time by all of our mentors in this production, our director Mr. Bobish, our music director Kaeden Oh, and our choreographer Ms. Downey. Knowing that this would be our final performance all together, I was struck by the power and joy of endings and reminded at curtain call that our farewell is only a celebration of the gratitude we keep for one another.
