Harding Academy Drama Blog

Harding Academy Theatre announces the new season with a “twist”. For the first time in recent history, our fall play will not be a musical. One reason for this change is to allow fall sports participants an opportunity to audition for a musical that will not conflict with their athletic schedule. Another reason is the calendar: Fall Break is in early October and only two weeks before Homecoming, making it difficult to conduct play rehearsals during that month.

We will, however, stage a non-musical production September 25, 26, and 27, entitled “UP THE DOWN STAIRCASE,” by Bel Kaufman, a play about a first year English teacher in an overcrowded, understaffed New York City high school. Packed with comedy and a touching bit of drama, everyone will relate to someone in this cast of thirty. Auditions will be Thursday and Friday, August 17 and 18 (yes, that’s the first week of school :), and a bit more than five weeks of intense rehearsals will begin Monday, August 21.

The Theatre will then take a break of several weeks in order to prepare to stage the first musical ever written by the team of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice: “JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT.” “JOSEPH” is a fun-filled show with music that will stick in your head for weeks to come. A large cast of singers and dancers will be needed for this completely “sung-through” musical which will be performed February 19, 20, and 21, 2009. Audition dates are yet to be finalized but will likely be in late November or early December.

This is going to be a GREAT season! Be there or be square!

On Tuesday, April 29 we celebrated the end of another season with our annual Spotlight Awards, hosted by brothers Thomas and Andrew Gandee. Entertainment was provided by several of Harding’s drama kings and queens through skits and song, including an encore performance by the infamous Quartet from our fall production of “The Music Man”.

Earlier in the month, ballots were distributed to several faculty and staff members who became our “Academy” for this year’s Awards recipients. The winners of the 2008 Spotlight Awards are as follows:

For “SAMMY CARDUCCI’S GUIDE TO WOMEN”

Best Actress/Honorable Mention - Salemah Gabriel/Ali Mercer
Best Actress - Jackie Hader
Best Actor/Honorable Mention - Drew Walker
Best Actor - Jeremy Clay

For “ARSENIC AND OLD LACE”

Best Actress/Honorable Mention - Sarah Hayes
Best Actress - Angela Neal
Best Actor/Honorable Mention - Cary McClurg
Best Actor - Sam Shansky

For “THE MUSIC MAN”

Most Valuable Orchestra/HM - Glenn Hawley
Most Valuable Orchestra - Garrett Lim
Best Dancer/Honorable Mention - Suzanne Chapman/
Samantha Thompson
Best Dancer - John Frizzell

Best Vocal/Large Ensemble/HM - Ya Got Trouble
Best Vocal/Large Ensemble - Seventy-Six Trombones
Best Vocal/Small Ensemble/HM - Pick-a-Little/Goodnight
Ladies
Best Vocal/Small Ensemble - Train Opening/Rock Island
Best Vocal/Solo/HM - Ya Got Trouble (Harold)
Best Vocal/Solo - Goodnight My Someone (Marian)

Best Actress/Honorable Mention - Melora Hawley
Best Actress - Claire Haines
Best Actor/Honorable Mention - Andrew Gandee
Best Actor - J.D. Peery

Most Valuable Techie/HM - Bethany Wilson (Costumes)
Most Valuable Techie - Thomas Gandee (Set)

Harding Academy Theatre Department presents Sammy Carducci’s Guide to Women, opening Thursday, April 10 at 7:00 in the O.O. Emmons Auditorium at Harding Academy at Cherry Road. The play will also be presented on Friday, April 11 at 7:00 PM with a different cast. This play, presented by Harding Academy students in grades 7-9, features Sammy who is an expert on just about everything, especially women, or so he tells his gullible friend Gus. Humor and antics abound as Sammy pursues the perfect girl, Becky, with such proven techniques as “The Eye,” “The Voice of Love,” and “The Freeze” as Becky’s best friend, Alice, looks on.
in the picture above:Sammy gives Becky “The Eye” as her best friend Alice looks on in disgust.

Pictures from Dress Rehearsal 4/8/08
Quick pictures from rehearsal:

By all accounts “Arsenic and Old Lace” was a success! Although we competed with the Regional Basketball Tournament for our audiences, we still had a good turnout and received many rave reviews. Congratulations to the cast and crew for an excellent job!

The Thursday following A&OL brought over forty seventh, eighth, and ninth graders out to audition for the junior high play,
“Sammy Carducci’s Guide To Women.” Because of so much talent, we decided to double cast this play which will be staged on April 10 and 11. The casts are as follows:

CAST A

Sammy Carducci……….Drew Walker
Gus Gaffney…………….Jeremy Clay
Becky Davidson………..Ali Mercer
Alice Biddle……………..Jackie Hader
Kevin Reynolds…………Christian May

CAST B

Sammy Carducci……….Julius Jones
Gus Gaffney…………….Nicholas Fisher
Becky Davidson………..Salemah Gabriel
Alice Biddle……………..Rachel Williams
Kevin Reynolds…………Christian May

CREW

Stage Manager…………Emma Galloway
Lights …………………..Andy Hayes, Allan Sisson
Sound……………………Bianca Price, Brianna Wade
Set and Props…………..Kirby Balch, Jessica Reese, Emily Hanson, Daniel Fairley, Shelley Doss
Costumes/Makeup……..Mady McIntyre, Denise Viner
House……………………Rachel Townsend, Kaylee Landers
Backstage/Extras………Nadine Assaf, Fatima Reed, Alicia Guthrie, June Wallace, Anna Paschall, Rachel Garson

Both casts will also be taking our show on the road to the Harding elementary locations on April 21.

Also, all drama students should make plans to attend our annual Spotlight Awards Ceremony tentatively set for the evening of April 21.

The zany comedy “Arsenic and Old Lace” is set for the Harding stage on February 14, 15, and 16. The cast is comprised of the following senior high students (in order of appearance):

Angela Neal - ABBY BREWSTER
Sam Shansky - DR. HARPER
Alex DeTorres - TEDDY BREWSTER
Duncan Gross - OFFICER BROPHY
Rhett Douglas - OFFICER KLEIN
Sarah Hayes - MARTHA BREWSTER
Melora Hawley - ELAINE HARPER
Cary McClurg - MORTIMER BREWSTER
Carter Nelms - MR. GIBBS
Austin Swope - JONATHAN BREWSTER
Brandon Dahlberg - DR. EINSTEIN
Sam Shansky - OFFICER O’HARA
Michael Hambrick - LIEUTENENT ROONEY
Carter Nelms - MR. WITHERSPOON

Jesse Rives and Lela Jones head up the tech crew as Co-Stage Managers. Other crew members include (but are not limited to) Bianca Price, Maria Law, Emma Galloway, Andy Hayes, Bethany Wilson, Joy Harroway, Diane Fairley, Garrett Peery, Claire Haynes, Rachel Townsend, Rochelle Rodriguez, Abigail Swan, Christian Dean, Sophia Malani, Alyssa Michie, Kari Bouzeid, Christina Byrd, William Sisson, Sara Law, Chris Oxford, Shelley Doss, and Corey Elkins.

The performance dates for ARSENIC AND OLD LACE have been moved back a week to February 14, 15, and 16 because of a conflict with King and Queen of Hearts week. Even better! If you want a great way to spend a Valentine’s Day weekend, then invite someone to an hilarious comedy that’s sure to make any date a success!

The audition dates for Arsenic and Old Lace remain the same - Monday and Tuesday, November 12 and 13, at 3:45 in the auditorium. Hope to see you there!

Don’t forget to make plans to attend Harding’s fall musical, THE MUSIC MAN, on October 25, 26, and 27 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are only $5.00 and can be purchased at the door. Meredith Willson’s classic is sure to please all ages with familiar songs and characters that are truely one of a kind!

Warm up those horns, polish those spats, and get set to march into the fall with Harding’s presentation of the Meredith Willson’s acclaimed THE MUSIC MAN!  With Homecoming set later this year, the fall musical is being pushed up to October 25, 26, 27, which means auditions will be held August 17, 20 and 21.  This show requires a large cast, lots of technical work, and 76 trombones!

In the winter, we will produce one of the zaniest comedies ever written, ARSENIC AND OLD LACE –  Two well-meaning elderly sisters, assisted by “Teddy Roosevelt,” find interesting ways to “help” poor old men!  Auditions for this show will be the week of November 12 with production dates set for January 31-February 2.

Finally, in the spring, we will be seeking talented junior high students for a play about them!! – SAMMY CARDUCCI’S GUIDE TO WOMEN.  This show will also be taken on the road to our elementary locations.  Auditions are the week of February 11, and performances will be in mid April.

BE THERE OR BE SQUARE!!!