Feature: CHICAGO at WESTHILL HIGH SCHOOL

A recent article in The New York Times reported that high school theater is suffering because some parents and town bigwigs are putting pressure on administrators not to produce plays that may offend some people. Some people, being strait-laced, narrow-minded people. Fortunately, Stamford is populated by highly educated, highly diverse people who are open to new things and new ideas, so when it comes to high school theater, almost anything goes, and it goes spectacularly.

The Northstar Playmakers of Westhill High School will present Chicago – Teen Edition, giving audiences everything that we love in this long running musical. Why should you see a high school production of a hit Broadway musical? Because of the amazing talent. Many of the cast members have achieved recognition in Stamford Youth Theatre and Stamford All-School Musical productions. And several are planning to pursue careers in the performing arts and will make it. See them here first!

The main cast members include local theatre heartthrob Niko Rinaldi as the dazzling lawyer Billy Flynn, James Kolman as the MC, Olivia Sosa as Velma Kelly, Lilah Gordon as Roxie Hart, Peter Donahue as Fred Casely, Eli Donahue as Amos Hart, Lauren Bin as Mama Morton, and Paul Ferris as the tabloid columnist Mary Sunshine and later promoter of Velma and Roxie.

The murderesses are played by Keylly Garcia (Liz), Isla Cruz (Annie), Madi Cabanas (June), Katya Kucher (Hunyak), and Mona (Sunia Gadtaula). The law is comprised of Blake Chakrin as Sargeant Fogarty, Jeremy Sliss as the Judge, Charlotte Lupinacci as the Court Clerk, and America Laist, who plays Juror One. Izzy Anderson plays Go To Hell Kitty, Riley Sargent plays Harry, and Kyle Rogers plays Martin Harrison. Ensemble players are Quentin Boyd, Jaraevia Cooper, Lilian Del Portillo, Bianca Deronvil, Daria Dimattia, Tanmayi Gadupudi, Greenley Lasko, Katie Lewis, Kaitlyn Miranda, Reese Moe, Ari Moore, Krisha Parmar, La’nya Prescott, Ritaj Saleh, Ava Sanchez, Bria Smith-Haughton and Sean Wells.

The auditorium at Westhill High School has plenty of comfortable seating and the stage is deeper and wider than the ones in many professional venues. There’s even a sizable pit for the orchestra, which features lead musicians Sam Devin and Jackeline Gallegos. Linda Duci, who has directed and choreographed Stamford All-School Musical shows, is the director while Lana Busch is the show’s stage manager. Raffaele Iorfino will work the lights. Sophia Almodiel, Brian Brown, Eugene Caibal, Marcelo Melgar, Will Ruffinott, and Jeremy Smith are the running/tech crew members. Annabel Benham is the hair and makeup artist for the production.

Performances are Saturday April 27 at 7:30, Sunday, April 28 at 2:00, Friday, May 3 at 7:30, and Saturday, May 4 at 7:30. Tickets are $20 for adults and $15 for students and seniors. Westhill High School is located at 125 Roxbury Road in Stamford. Fun fact: Westhill High School became Cresthill High School for the Disney movie, Chang Can Dunk. As Principal Rinaldi always cheers, "Go Hill!"

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