The Briarcliff High School theater was abuzz with students rehearsing roles, building a car and creating stage magic through models, video projection and sound effects for the original production of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang presented March 1, 2 and 3.
A musical for all ages about the lovable Potts family – circa early 1900s – and their wonderful and treacherous adventures to fairytale lands, the show brimmed with technical wizardry and was designed as an immersive experience that makes audience members feel part of an inventor’s workshop. Moreover, the relationship between a single father and his children grounds the magical story and makes it relatable to all parents and every child who has ever had a dream.
The cast and crew were in overdrive creating ingenious ways to stage a traditional musical using multi-media and special effects from small models to drone footage to engage the audience’s imagination.
Senior Tucker Poux, who played Potts, said, “Our goal …was not to make people wonder how did they do that, but how did they think of that?”
The show’s director, Ian Driver, said, “I’ve always loved Chitty Chitty Bang Bang … It’s a zany romp.”
With music and lyrics by Richard and Robert Sherman, the musical was adapted for the stage by Jeremy Sams in a licensed script adapted by Ray Roderick.
