High School Productions Nowadays

[CurtainsUpat8]

Posted: 3/8/15 at 10:06pm

Wow! I haven't been to a High School musical in a long time. I went to see Sweeney Todd in Summit, NJ at Summit High yesterday. It was really quite amazing... astounding...especially considering these were high school kids. They had a full orchestra, which had an occasional reed squeak, but was a total TREAT to hear. The cast was just surprisingly amazing. Sweeney was fantastic. What a talented young guy! The rest of the cast was just great. The technical aspects were also pretty great. The set, lights, costumes...all really great. I enjoyed very much. Which leads me to the subject... I think the future of American Musical Theatre talent is very bright! These kids are getting much better training before college than ever before. It was a real treat, and I have a feeling it's happening in many parts of the country.

[jjohnson5]

Posted: 3/8/15 at 10:10pm

Summit is also the bomb though. I attended a "rival" High School that often went against Summit a Papermill's Rising Star Awards (and we always lost). When we finally went and check them out ourselves we were in shock. They have a lot of support from their community and from what I understand even their parents work very hard. Very talented kids usually too.

What I'm trying to say is, don't make Summit your benchmark on HS productions because you will be disappointed :)

[trentsketch]

Posted: 3/8/15 at 10:13pm

There are a ton of great high school theater programs in this area. Summit always puts on a great production.

[CurtainsUpat8]

Posted: 3/8/15 at 10:28pm

Even in my hometown, a small city in Western NY, the musicals have come A LONG, LONG way since I was there... sometime ago. I think, in general, many (not all) High Schools around the country have really stepped up their game. There are many more private music studios that train young kids for musical theatre than there were in the past. This may explain some of it.

True... Summit is a pretty wealthy area. The auditorium was FULL. Maybe 600 seats or more. I think there were four performances... At $18 bucks a ticket that is a lot of money to work with.

[BroadwayNYC2]

Posted: 3/8/15 at 11:05pm

Ive seen lots of great theatre at some North Jersey high schools. High school theatre sure has come a long way.

[seahag2]

Posted: 3/9/15 at 1:58am

My friend attends Whitman High School and their musicals are AMAZING. For the Anything Goes title number the students took tap lessons in the summer! Their production value is ridiculously high.

And a local high school near me has a complete student pit/accompanist/conductor. I'm not sure if that's very common, but my school doesn't have that. However that may be because my school's theatre program is lacking in so many areas. The shows we pick have to be extremely family friendly. We cut so many lines from Grease because they were 'too dirty.'
Whitman High School Anything Goes

[TheGingerBreadMan]

Posted: 3/9/15 at 8:11am

Yesterday I attended a high school production of The 25th... Spelling Bee and was absolutely blown away. The sets, lighting, and costumes all looked so professional. The cast was mega-talented, and it was definitely something I would never have expected from a high school

[acekatherineplumber2]

Posted: 3/9/15 at 8:31am

Wow, I wish that sort of high school theater was present near me. The theater at my high school has gotten cheaper and shoddier with each passing year in all respects.

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 3/9/15 at 12:23pm

Money and the size of the school are everything.

[Sally Durant Plummer]

Posted: 3/9/15 at 12:31pm

In the Bay Area in CA, I saw Marin School of the Arts production of Hello, Dolly!. Almost a chamber piece, with a unit set, and a smaller orchestra, it was absolutely incredible. The cast was over 50 on a small stage and the stage pictures/tableu were gorgeous. I found the Waitor's Gallop more thrilling the the original staging, with many lifts and acrobatics. The Dolly was fantastic and he red dress made he entrance in Act II all the more exciting. Honestly, the rumored rival will have to be spectacular to get it out of my head.

[ErinDillyFan]

Posted: 3/9/15 at 2:44pm

One of the local high schools puts on top notch productions. In the last 15 years I have seen 4 that would that would be comparable to touring productions. Another local choir and theater director I talked to thought their production of "Hairspray" was better than the national tour he saw.

And this is NOT a performing arts school. The director puts 3-6 kids in state honors choir every year and the year they did Les Miserable the pit had 5 kids that were in state honors orchestra. I worry that so many of his students major in musical theater in college. I personally know 9 from the last 6 years and at least double that who I don't know are. Some did real well the first year or two out of college, but lately aren't finding work. Two kids went right from high school to broadway with their first auditions and have been working steady since. Updated On: 3/9/15 at 02:44 PM

[Fantod]

Posted: 3/9/15 at 3:06pm

My high school has a fabulous theatre department. We are also in the Bay Area, and though not an arts school, we put on great stuff. I am assistant directing my high schools production of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum right now. We open next Friday and I think it will be really great. Tickets are only $15 if you want to come.

http://www.mitty.com/performing-arts

Updated On: 3/9/15 at 03:06 PM

[yankeefan7]

Posted: 3/10/15 at 12:21pm

My daughters went to Northwest School Of The Arts in Charlotte NC and their shows every year were great. I have not seen one in a bunch of years but I am quite certain they are still amazing.

[Ado Annie D'Ysquith]

Posted: 3/10/15 at 9:09pm

Here I am in the finale of Disney's High School Musical as Ms. Darbus back in 2010...dare I say, it's my personal favorite of all the roles I've played. HSM may not be great art, but it's a blast of a show to do...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJShEziHD-g