‘Chicago,’ ‘Annie,’ spring onto high school stages
Davis High School will perform “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” starting March 4.
Broadway star Laura Osnes, center, who played Cinderella, worked in December with students at Weber High School for their production of "Cinderella," which starts March 10. Students pictured are, left to right, Josh Fawson (Prince Christopher), Chelsea Johnson (Cinderella), Rabecca Fowers (Stepsister) and Aly Anderson (Stepsister).
Ben Lomond High School will present “Annie Jr.” starting March 11.
Davis High School will perform “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” starting March 4.
The DaVinci Academy will present the musical “Chicago” starting March 3.
The DaVinci Academy will present “Chicago” starting March 3.
The DaVinci Academy will present “Chicago” starting March 3.
EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the second of a three-part series on upcoming high school musicals and plays. Another listing will appear in April.
• “Chicago”
WHEN: 7 p.m. Thursday-Saturday and Mondays, March 3-14
WHERE: DaVinci Academy, 2033 Grant Ave., Ogden.
TICKETS: $10/adults, $6 students under 18. Purchase at 801-409-0720, at the school office or at the door.
DaVinci Theater teacher Adam Slee is a firm believer in teaching his students about the whole process of acting by doing, right down to the subject matter.
“By choosing ’Chicago,' it was my intent to have my students weigh the influence of the media in the 1920s against its impact on public opinion in the 21st century. Conversations abound in rehearsals comparing and contrasting what is going on in the musical to various current events,” Slee said.
Slee has also had his students highly involved in all aspects of the show including lighting, choreography, costuming and sound design. “We feel that the theater is a place for student engagement and exploration,” he said.
He loves what he is seeing from his students and the way they have grasped all the concepts surrounding the show. “The show has a little bit of everything — jazz, ballet, the blues and even a transgender opera singer,” he said.
• “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer”
WHEN: 7 p.m. March 4-9
WHERE: Davis High School, 325 S. Main St., Kaysville
TICKETS: $7/adults, $5/students. Purchase on the school’s website or at the door.
Mark Twain is the narrator of “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” and he guides the audience through town and goes on the adventures with Tom and Huck.
“I loved that aspect of the script,” said theater teacher Andra Thorne. “I also loved the idea of taking the students on their own adventures, reminding them to not grow up too fast, to hold on to the feeling of play. I wanted our audiences to feel the nostalgia that comes from this story and take the journey with us,” she said.
The play will be presented March 8 during the day for elementary students.
• “Much Ado About Nothing”
WHEN: 7 p.m. March 10, 11, 12, 14. Nightly greenshows begin at 6:30 p.m.
WHERE: Bountiful High School, 695 Orchard Drive, Bountiful.
TICKETS: $5 at school office
Bountiful High School students will perform ”Much Ado About Nothing,” but have added some dances and music which “bring to life this beloved comedy,” said theater teacher Emily Wadley. There are 47 students in the production and they are the high school’s most talented performers, she said.
“Shakespeare has the capacity to teach students so much about performance, language, artistry, human nature and ultimately themselves. It is a rich undertaking with many artistic facets and opportunities for growth,” Wadley said.
• “Annie Jr.”
WHEN: 6:30 p.m. March 11, 12 and 14; also 1 p.m. March 12.
WHERE: Ben Lomond High School, 1080 9th St., Ogden
TICKETS: $5/adults, $4/students, seniors; free/children under 5. Group rates available; call 801-737-7874.
When Ben Lomond High School theater teacher Gabe White decided to do ”Annie Jr.,” it was with the idea that the school could reach out to the community to help get new students involved with theater. “We wanted to do a play that would be enjoyable, accessible and fun for the actors and our audience,” White said.
The musical has 23 core cast members from Ben Lomond, and Highland and Mound Fort junior high schools, plus 15 dancers from the Ben Lomond dance team and 26 orphan girls from the surrounding community. White figures 70 percent of his cast is new to the theater community.
Because there are so many different groups, the whole cast has not practiced all together until this week. White expects opening night to be very “synergetic” because of this. Some of the parts are double cast.
“My group is the most dedicated, excited and hilarious cast that I have directed,” White said.
• “Cinderella”
WHEN: 7 p.m. March 10, 11, 12, 14, 18, 19, 21; also noon March 12.
WHERE: Weber High School, 430 Weber High Drive, Pleasant View
TICKETS: $10/adults, $9/children, seniors. Purchase on school’s website.
Mark Daniels, theater director, said the Weber High community loves shows like “Cinderella.”
“I chose the show for the magic in it. I had the perfect cast for this show and our school loves family friendly productions,” Daniels said.
Cast members got a special treat at Christmastime when Laura Osnes, who starred in the show on Broadway, came and did a workshop with the cast. For many students it was a dream come true, Daniels said. He has enjoyed working with the students for this production because they are doing what they love.
Before the noon matinee, there will be a special brunch for children from 10:30 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. The “Royalty Brunch” will include the prince and princess and all the palace guests. The young patrons are encouraged to dress up as their favorite prince or princess. The brunch is free but tickets for the show are required to attend.