Rehearsals, trying on costumes, sound checks…and all that jazz.
Briarcliff High School students have been getting ready for the spring musical “Chicago” in a performance you do not want to miss.
This family-friendly version, which is appropriate for middle schoolers and up, centers on Roxie Hart, a nightclub dancer. Roxie goes on trial for murder and hires a famous lawyer who promises to win her an acquittal and to make her famous
Senior Scarlett Young looks forward to playing Roxie.
“I have always been a big fan of the show, so I’m excited – it is kind of a dream come true for me,” she said. “I love performing the song “They Both Reach for the Gun.” I don’t sing in it, but I perform kind of like a puppet, and it’s a really fun, upbeat song.”
Senior Gordon Beckler, who plays lawyer Billy Flynn, also loves performing that song.
“I am doing a sort of ventriloquism act with Roxie, pretending to pull the stings on a puppet,” he said. “I also love singing “All I Care About.” A lot of the songs are fun, but the show is also an interesting social work of art that looks at media sensationalism and the criminal justice system.”
Sophomore Lily McDermott, who plays the role of Velma, another woman on trial, also loves the singing and dancing part of the show.
“My favorite moment is the opening with “All That Jazz” because there are a lot of things going on and it’s just really fun,” she said. “I also love all the group numbers because it’s fun to see how everyone brings their own talent when they perform. This is my second year of doing a show at Briarcliff and it’s great – it is a super welcoming community, everyone is so nice here and non-judgmental, it’s a safe space.”
Scarlett agrees.
“Being a part of this group of students is one of my favorite things about the show,” she said.
At a recent rehearsal, director Paul Kite spoke with the students urging them to be the best version of themselves.
“Figure out what you are good at, figure out what you are bad at, work on the stuff you are bad at and use the stuff you are good at to make the stuff you are bad at – better,” He said.
“I love Mr. Kite,” Lily said. “He is so nice and you can tell he is passionate about this. He is very supportive; he wants to push people but also make sure they are comfortable on stage.”
The show has glitz and glam and students will get a lesson on how to apply makeup. Getting the outfits, however, takes some resourcefulness.
“It’s fun to get the costumes together; I used to be a fashion designer before I became a mom, so I can make alterations, but it can be challenging to find the costumes to begin with,” said costume designer Suzanna Kwong. “For this show I needed to find fancy red dresses and prison clothes without spending a lot of money. We recycle a lot of outfits, so we used costumes from previous shows, like “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” and “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.” It’s good for the environment and it’s good for the budget.”
- Showtimes: March 8 and 9 at 7:30 pm; March 10 at 2:30 pm.
- Click HERE to purchase tickets
