River View Junior High presents play
WARSAW – Bring a little bit of the beach into this gloomy, cold winter with the River View Junior High’s musical, ‘Hang 10’ which will be presented at the River View High School on March 14 at 7 p.m. Surf into Luigi Barone’s Burger Café where you’ll be sure to find anything but a burger. The musical numbers in the play reflect the music made popular by the Beach Boys. ‘Surf’s Up’, the theme songs which opens the play, is sure to get you in the mood for surf boards, hula hoops, and beach balls.
“The purpose of this play is to give the students some experience in musical theatre,” said director Dawn Anglin. “It’s a pretty long show for these kids. It’s the biggest endeavor I’ve put in front of them. The cast members have a lot of lines to learn.”
Luigi, played by Quintin Wherley, has just immigrated to California with his family to experience the ‘American Dream’. But someone is trying to sabotage his business, going so far as to cover the place with cockroaches. But that’s not even the worst of Luigi’s troubles. His oldest granddaughter, Maria, played by Breann Cass, has just fallen in love with an American she met on the beach.
“Luigi is a very cranky old man,” said Cass, “and I lose the old ways by falling in love with a new guy on the beach, and Luigi isn’t too happy about that.”
Luigi is desperately trying to hold on to his family roots, so instead of serving his customers burgers and a milkshake, he serves up plates of pasta and other recipes from the old world, and because of this, his sales are at an all-time low.
“I love how I get to play an Italian role other than a normal American role,” said Wherley in a perfect Italian accent. “When I perform in other shows, I don’t get any speaking roles, but in this play, I get an Italian accent.”
The cast is made up of 17 seventh graders and 13 eighth graders. The chorus is members of the Junior High Choir and this musical is their third nine weeks projects. The choir members sit in the audience during the performance and stand and sing when necessary. The choir rehearses during class and is not required to attend after school rehearsals.
“I think it’s important they watch the show so they can see what their classmates have been doing after school,” said Anglin. “The choir has just had a good time with it.”
In keeping with the Italian theme, there will be a spaghetti dinner served in the high school cafeteria before the performance. Tickets for the dinner are $6 for adults and $4 for students. Tickets for the show are $2 and can be purchased at the door or by calling the Junior High School at 824-3523 and ask for Julie Richard. The supper is provided by the River View Music Boosters.
“They’ve been great,” said Anglin about the students. “They haven’t complained and they’ve all worked really hard.”
The play lasts about one hour and 15 minutes.
beth@coshoctoncountybeacon.com
Category: Arts & Entertainment, Education
