The director had a “revelation” for the cast of Forty Second Street. “People are going to know these songs,” Marietta Moulton told them.
It’s an apt observation. The parents of the middle school performers will probably recognize the score. The grandparents will certainly know the songs. And if they never saw the show, they’ll be surprised by the number of familiar melodies it includes.
The middle school will be presenting the musical in a dress rehearsal on Wednesday night, and in regular performances on Thursday through Saturday. Curtain time is 7 p.m.
Besides recognizing the music, the audience is likely to marvel at how good these teens and preteens look when they’re all dressed up. For at least one scene, the boys wear tuxedos while the girls are dressed in formal gowns. And in other parts of the play, the director is combating the trend toward casual. “People in the thirties tucked in their shirts,” she keeps telling the boys.
There are two casts because of the number of students who signed up for the show. The performers alternate from night to night. While most of the students have been in Cornwall shows before, there’s a newcomer in the mix. Shauna Lawrence, who moved here from Queens, is playing Dorothy, one of the leading roles.
Director Moulton, who also coaches volleyball, says that getting Shauna is like the volleyball team acquiring a transfer student who’s athletic and over six feet tall.
The story line is not far removed from “Give My Regards to Broadway,” the George M. Cohan show that was recently performed at Cornwall-on-Hudson school. The production numbers are clearly the highlight of the performance. The stage, and the runway in front of it, are filled with well-dressed entertainers who exude enthusiasm. Tara Rao, a four-year veteran of the drama club, explains the phenomenon. “Everyone pulls from each other’s energy,” she says, “and the stage comes alive.”
Tara’s middle school credits include “Seussical,” “Cinderella,” “The Emperor’s New Clothes,” and the current performance. She has been enjoying the auditions and the after-school rehearsals that began in January. “It’s like going back to your family,” she said, “and singing in front of your family and friends. And each year you get a few more people added to the group.”
At the Saturday, March 8 rehearsal, the performers seemed ready. Lauren Sharp, who’s also appeared in four middle school productions, marveled at the transformation. “Before we start a show, it seems like we’ll never pull it off,” she said. “And then we do, and it’s just amazing.”
