High School Musical Season

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Act I

Colts Neck High School’s Cougar Theatre Company presents “Bye Bye Birdie,” a loving send-up of the 1950s, small-town America, teenagers, and rock ’n’ roll. Teen heartthrob Conrad Birdie has been drafted, so he chooses all-American girl Kim MacAfee for a very public farewell kiss. The show features a tuneful, high-energy score and a hilarious script.

Performances are March 10, 11 and 12 at 7 p.m., 59 Five Points Road, Colts Neck

Tickets are $15 and may be purchased online at cnhsnj.booktix.com.

Christian Brothers Academy’s Pegasus Production Company presents “13,” a coming-of-age story of Evan Goldman, a boy who has just moved from New York City to Indiana. Music and lyrics by Jason Robert Brown. Based on the book by Dan Elish and Robert Horn. Directed by Marcos Orozco, assistant director Therese Heidelberger, music director Christian Lopez and choreographer Gina Morrello.

Cast includes Nicholas Buchanan as Evan, Kylie Mulvihill as Patrice, Hudson Furnari as Brett, Jack Glassman as Malcolm, Aidan Zagel as Eddie, Anya Tumbleson as Kendra, JP Shimkus as Archie, Carolyn Hester as Lucy, Catherine Rinaldi as Cassie, Stephanie Rosenthal as Charlotte, Delia Ucciardino as Molly, Luke Feury as Richie and James Nardiello as Simon.

“13” is being performed in its entirety, without edits. The script includes mature language and themes that may not be appropriate for all audiences. CBA rates the show PG-13 for suggestive content and language.

The actors will be performing without masks while all those attending the performance will be required to wear masks while in the building. Most seats are not socially distanced. Socially distanced seats are available in the rear of the theater in the side sections with one empty seat reserved between every two.

March 11, 12, 18, 19 at 7 p.m.; March 13 at 2 p.m.; March 17 at 5 p.m. at the Henderson Theater, 850 Newman Springs Road, Lincroft.

Tickets may be purchased at cba.booktix.com.

Trinity Hall’s Queen’s Court Company presents its spring show, “Twelfth Night,” a musical adaptation of a classic Shakespearean romantic comedy, March 11 through 13 at Brookdale Community College.

The story follows Viola, a young heroine who journeys to find her true self and true love on the shores of Illyria. With music written by Shaina Taub, the musical switches between jazz-funk musical numbers and Shakespearean prose and verse. Senior Amanda Philipson has been cast as Viola.

Director and theater teacher Ellen Phillips called the show a “light, fun story and a new way to learn how to decipher the Bard’s words” and a “perfect introduction to performing and understanding Shakespeare.”

March 11 and 12 at 7:30 p.m., March 13 at 2:30 p.m. at Brookdale Community College.

Ticket reservations for all performances are available online at th.booktix.com. It is a family-friendly performance.

Middletown High School North presents the classic musical “A Chorus Line.” The cast features a majority of students from the school’s Arts Academy program, an audition-required Drama Track in which students take classes focusing on theater. Leading the group is John Martin (junior) who plays the ruthless director Zach. Other primary cast members include Sam Cusson (junior) as Paul, Ava Giglia (junior) as Diana Morales, Kirsten Dunn (senior) as Cassie and Dance Captain, Alana Santiago (senior) as Sheila, Madison Gibbons (senior) as Judy, Rebecca Grodek (sophomore) as Val, Antonio Fagliarone (senior) as Mike, Daniel Stefanski (junior) as Bobby, Tyler Salus (senior) as Don, Bryan Reimertz (sophomore) as Mark, and many others. 

The show is directed by Amanda Faria, choreographed by Tara Mahoney, vocal directed by Peter Isherwood and conducted by David Buckle.

March 18 at 7 p.m., March 19 at 1 and 7 p.m. Note: Masks are optional.

Tickets are $8 for adults/seniors and $5 for students, cash or checks made out to “Middletown High School North” are accepted. Tickets can be purchased at the door or by calling 732-706-6061 ext. 1243 or by emailing mahoneyt@middletownk12.org.

Theatre students at Holmdel High School will return to the stage this spring in Rodgers & Hammerstein’s classic “Oklahoma!”

The show is produced by the Holmdel Theatre Guild (HTG), the student-driven drama club at Holmdel High School. Leading the cast are Nick DiBlasi (Curly), Bella Moitoso (Laurey), Avery Peters (Aunt Eller), Alex Bauman (Ado Annie), Aman Tolia (Will Parker), and Mason McCarthy (Jud Fry). Featured actors include Cooper Bilsland (Ali Hakim), Nicole DiBlasi (Gertie Cummings), Mark Moitoso (Andrew Carnes), Rocco Impreveduto (Ike Skidmore), Jonathan Wen (Cord Elam), as well as Jones Almeida, Katie Bauer, Aidan Carscadden, Gisela Cubas, Caroline Liedel, Erin Maurer, Sofina Perez, Gabby Postigo, Gabby Truett, Anastasia Vander Woude, Julia Valenzuela, Jordan Yannello, Jenna Yiu, and Laina Yiu in the Ensemble. Advisors for this production include Jim DeVivo (director), Katrina Roberts (vocal director), Shannon O’Hara (choreographer), Christie Riso (orchestra conductor), Shirley Campuzano (technical director), and Ted Mester (technical advisor).

March 24, 25, 26 at 7 p.m. at the HHS Auditorium, 36 Crawfords Corner Road, Holmdel.

Tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for seniors, and $5 for students and will be available at the door only; seating is general admission.

Red Bank Catholic presents Disney’s “The Little Mermaid,” the first spring musical back on stage for RBC students in two years. The cast includes senior Afrodite Kolouris as Ariel; junior Jack Sisk as Prince Eric; senior Sophia Nazareno as Ursula; junior Carmen Gemellaro as Sebastian; freshman Sarah Moser as Flounder; junior Riley Manfredi as Scuttle; and junior Armando Melendez as King Triton.

The orchestra will consist of professionals and students from RBC’s chamber band. Costumes are being designed by the school’s fashion students.

The show is directed and choreographed by Kelly Gemellaro with assistance from Mary King and Shane Kirchner, assistant directors; Melody Blasenheim, music director; Andrew Macirowski, conductor; Robert Rutt and Andrew Simoes, tech direction; Sarah Guarillio, house manager; and Carla Valentino, art design.

March 24 and 25 at 7 p.m.; March 26 at 2 and 7 p.m., and March 27 at 2 p.m.

Tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for seniors, students and children. Available at onthestage.tickets/show/red-bank-catholic-hs/the-little-mermaid-96683. 

The Admiral Players of Henry Hudson present “Chicago.” Set amidst the razzle-dazzle decadence of the 1920s, “Chicago” is the story of Roxie Hart, a housewife and nightclub dancer who murders her on-the-side lover after he threatens to walk out on her. Desperate to avoid conviction, she dupes the public, the media and her rival cellmate, Velma Kelly, by hiring Chicago’s slickest criminal lawyer to transform her malicious crime into a barrage of sensational headlines, the likes of which might just as easily be ripped from today’s tabloids.

Cast: Lydia Smith as Velma Kelly; Marlo Laura as Roxie Hart; Ellie Conover as Matron “Mama” Morton; Leo Koernig as Billy Flynn; Quinn Casey as Amos Hart; Magdalana Giunta as Fred Casey, Ensemble; Jake Curry as Fogarty, Judge, Ensemble; Maeve Sherlock as Liz, Ensemble; Corinne Kelleher as Annine, Ensemble; Damyona Sparks-Edwards as June, Ensemble; Maddy Ilarraza as Hunyak, Ensemble; Liza Madore as Mona, Ensemble; Peyton Thomson as Harry, Clark, Ensemble; Oliva Dabb as Kitty, Ensemble; Michael Del Duca as Harrison, Ensemble; Emily Ramos as Mary Sunshine, Ensemble.

March 25 at 7 p.m., March 26 at 2 and 7 p.m. at the HHRS Theater (Cafetorium), 1 Grand Tour, Highlands.

Tickets are $15 adults; $10 students and seniors and available at showtix4u.com, search “HHRS.”

Act II

The Monmouth Regional High School Drama Club presents “Little Shop of Horrors” this spring.

The show is directed by Jennifer Mitchell with musical direction by Chris Sabol. Mackenzie Uplinger is assistant director.

March 31, April 1 and 2 at 7 p.m. in the MRHS Performing Arts Center, 1 Norman J Field Way, Tinton Falls.

Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students, available at the door. 

Red Bank Regional High School Theatre Company Presents “Godspell,” a timeless rock musical based on the Gospel of St. Matthew. Written in 1971 by John-Michael Teblak and Stephen Schwartz and revived on Broadway in 2012, it tells the story of Jesus’ ministry and Passion through parables, clowning, dance and music. It is being performed by members of The Red Bank Regional Theatre Company and is directed by Reuben Jackson.

Cast includes Ray Faiella as Jesus, Jack Schutzenhofer as Judas/John the Baptist, Sydney Spencer as Celisse, Rebecca Roth as Uzo, Simone Mason as Telly, Charley Novara as Morgan, Jackie Rogers as Anna Maria, Anna Musumeci as George, Sean Busk as Nick, and Kendall Thorner as Lindsey.

March 31, April 1 and 2 at 7 p.m., April 3 at 2 p.m.

Tickets available at rbrhsnj.booktix.com or at the theater door.

Saint John Vianney High School presents Disney’s new musical “Freaky Friday.” This marks Lancer Productions’ formal return to the spring musical stage following Summer 2021’s production of “Bye Bye Birdie” and November’s “All Together Now.” The show is directed by Mary-Kate Schmidt, aided by student director Alyssa Jones and vocal directors Nicole Vota and Gabriella Alvarado. Gracie Bush is the student choreographer, Jaclyn Agnello is set designer, Nancy Figur is costume designer, and Chris Scoles is the light and sound designer. 

When overworked mother Katherine (Nicole Vota) and her teenage daughter Ellie (Alyssa Jones) magically swap bodies, they have just one day to put things right again. “Freaky Friday” is based on the celebrated novel by Mary Rodgers and the hit Disney films. It is a heartfelt, comedic and unexpectedly emotional update on an American classic. By spending a day in each other’s shoes, Katherine and Ellie come to appreciate one another’s struggles, learn self-acceptance, and realize the immeasurable love and mutual respect that bond a mother and daughter. 

The cast also includes Gabriella Alvarado as Katherine’s high-strung assistant Torrey. Frank Sveva and Greg Castellano are dual-casted as Katherine’s loving fiancé Mike. Amaya Hemmings plays mean girl Savannah. Emmett Smithouser plays the cutely cool scavenger hunt curator Adam. Kayla Rose and Hailey Oswick play Ellie’s loyal best friends, Hannah and Gretchen. Chase Keeling, a fifth-grader from St. Benedict School, plays Ellie’s puppet-obsessed little brother Fletcher. 

March 31 and April 1 at 7 p.m.; April 2 at 2 and 7 p.m.

Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for children, $8 for SJV students; available beginning March 12 at sjvhs.booktix.com.

This spring the Mater Dei Prep Seraph Players bring to the stage “Legally Blonde,” a fabulously fun musical based on the 2001 Reese Witherspoon movie. It follows the transformation of Elle Woods as she tackles stereotypes and scandal in pursuit of her dreams at Harvard Law School.

The cast includes Lily Grace Riddle as Elle Woods; Danny King as Emmett Forrest; Samantha Yannarelli as Paulette Bonafonte; Erin Fitzgerald as Brooke Wyndham; and Joseph McClue as Warner Huntington III. The show is directed by Cindy Dwyer.

April 1 and 2 at 7 p.m., April 3 at 2 p.m.

Tickets available at mdp.booktix.com.

The Rumson-Fair Haven Tower Players present “Mamma Mia!” when music returns to the stage this April.

They are bringing singing and dancing back to the stage in a performance of some of rock band ABBA’s greatest hits. This jukebox musical takes place in Greece where Donna Sheridan (Ali Gagliardi) independently raises her daughter Sophie (Camryn Osofsky) who is engaged to be married to Sky (Evan Callas). Unbeknownst to Donna, Sophie invites her mother’s three old flames to the wedding to figure out which is her father: Sam Carmichael (Jackson Champeau), Bill Anderson (Chris Stypa), and Harry Bright (Christian Stone). With the help of her best friends and ex-Dynamos, Rosie Mulligan (Mackenzie Doherty) and Tanya Chesham-Leigh (Sophie Barabas), Donna must face her past and reveal a long-hidden secret, as Sophie discovers who she truly is.

KasiAnn Sweeney is directing, Matthew Leddin is technical director, Susan Schuld is assistant director and play production coordinator, Amanda Gorfain is musical director, Catherine ‘Kitty” Cleary is in charge of costumes and props, and Donna Battaglia is the choreographer. 

April 1, 2, 8 and 9 at 7:30 p.m.; April 3 at 2 p.m.

Tickets will be sold exclusively online at towerplayers.booktix.com; all seating is assigned, no general admission.

This spring Middletown South will be presenting “Grease,” the classic Broadway musical about young love, greasers and navigating high school in the 1950s. “Grease” is directed by Alexis Kozak and choreographed by Jacqui Fischer with Vincent Dorozynski and Caroline Garrett starring as Danny and Sandy.

April 7, 8, 9 at 7 p.m.

Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at mhss.booktix.com beginning March 29.  

The Upper School students at Ranney School present “The Sound of Music” this spring.

Cast includes Maya Jacoby as Maria, Rowan Johnson as Captain Von Trapp, Parsvi Shah as Frau Schmidt, Claire Farren as Liesl, Summer Wilderotter as Friedrich, William Mallach as Kurt, Lindsay Berliner as Brigitta, Elle Brandt as Marta, Gigi Eliseo as Gretl, Michael Guiliano as Rolf and Anna Weiner as Mother Abbess.

April 8 and 9 at 7 p.m.

Tickets are $10 at the door.

The article originally appeared in the March 10 – 16, 2022 print edition of The Two River Times.