Disney's High School Musical On Stage at SHS This Weekend

The Scarsdale High School Senior Class Play is this weekend! The play, a rendition of Disney’s High School Musical, will be performed at 7:30pm on Friday, 7:30pm on Saturday, and at 2pm on Sunday. Tickets are $10 for students and $15 dollars for adults online before the show at http://shsseniorclassplay.eventbrite.com/ . They will be $15 dollars for students and $20 for adults at the door.

An annual tradition, this years play is being directed by Justine Gelfman and Clint Frehill, with music run by William Heffner and Jessica Li, and choreography by Melissa Tucker and Julia Rutkovsky. Sara Pattiz is running costumes and makeup with props being taken care of by Nicole Steiner. Faculty member Steve Bogardus heads the crew, made up of mostly underclassmen. And, as always, the Senior Class faculty advisers, Lauren Meyer and Eric Rauschenbach, were ready to help make the show a success. “My two class advisors, Mrs. Meyer and Mr. Rauschenbauch as well as my artistic advisor, Steve Bogardus were true rockstars. They never ceased to amaze me with their ability to find solutions to the most difficult problems. In addition, the production team for the Senior Class Play was instrumental in constructing a visual landscape for our actors to live in,” stated Gelfman.

The cast, made up of seniors, many of whom had never been in a play before, has been working hard for over a month putting the show together. Balancing both busy Senior Options schedules and long play rehearsals, the cast has worked hard to produce a good show. “Everything seems to be coming together at just the right time,” noted cast member Graham Winston. “Hard work and effort really pays dividends.”

Matt Tussing and Michelle Ostroff are playing the lead roles of Troy Bolton and Gabriella Montez, while Ben Newman and Haley Polkes take other major roles of Ryan and Sharpay Evans and Chad Danforth and Taylor McKessie are portrayed by Brandon Berman and Avery Novitch. All of the leads have worked very hard to make the show a success. “They really shine with the help of their faithful and hardworking accompaniment by the rest of the cast,” mentioned fellow cast member Will Hunersen.

In order to publicize the show, the production crew organized a series of quasi-“flash mobs” at elementary schools and the middle school. Members of the cast went to the different locations and performed one of the show’s dances and handed out fliers to the excited students. Clearly, the senior class is attempting to market the show to a younger audience.

As always, Friday and Sunday will feature shows more true to the script, while Saturday is termed as joke night, where cast members will improvise and crack a joke or two. However, any showing will produce lots of laughs. “I think the final product will be fantastic. It was pure joy to work with our cast. They are enthusiastic and creative individuals who are willing to try something new. While theater is not what many of them want to pursue, I admired how so many cast members stepped out of their comfort zones,” exclaimed Gelfman.
Photos by Marnie Gelfman