RHS students to perform ‘White Christmas’
Show time: Nick Blakley, Veronica Roberts, Connor Wheeler and Danika Brenneman are pictured practicing a scene from “White Christmas.” The four Ridgewood High School seniors are part of the production that will be performed April 1-3, at the high school. Beacon photo by Josie Sellers
COSHOCTON – “White Christmas” isn’t just about a holiday. It’s a romantic comedy about friends and family helping each other out and four close knit seniors have the pleasure of playing several of the leading roles in the upcoming production at Ridgewood High School.
The original 1954 version of “White Christmas” features Bing Crosby as Bob Wallace and Danny Kaye as Phil Davis, a song and dance team romantically involved with a sister act played by Rosemary Clooney who is Betty Haynes and Vera Ellen who is Judy Haynes. They end up working together to save an inn run by Wallace and Davis’ former commanding general from their time in the U.S. Army during World War II.
Bringing these roles to life on the stage at Ridgewood will be Connor Wheeler (Bob Wallace), Nick Blakley (Phil Davis), Danika Brenneman (Betty Haynes) and Veronica Roberts (Judy Haynes).
“We are excited to do this because we wanted to go out with a bang,” said Brenneman.
The four seniors have done plays together throughout all their years at Ridgewood.
“I like being with all my friends and its fun to do the different shows and try to become a completely different person,” Roberts said.
Brenneman said none of them had seen “White Christmas” before they started working on the production, but are enjoying being part of the show and the fact that it allows a number of the students to shine.
“There isn’t just one main character so the spot light just isn’t on one person the whole time,” she said.
Roberts believes it is a play that their audience will really enjoy.
“I think it will take that generation (from World War II) back,” she said. “Musicals seem to draw a lot of people too.”
The play has a lot singing and dancing and Blakley and Wheeler get to perform together in one of the more famous scenes from the play. “Sisters” is when they mimic an act performed by Brenneman and Roberts. Both gentlemen agreed being friends makes it a lot easier to act goofy together.
That song is actually one of the main reasons Director Jill Collins wanted to do this play.
“There is a picture of my dad Jim Collins and his friend Chester Loos doing ‘Sisters,’” Jill said. “They were real active in West Lafayette and raising money for things like the homecoming. I wanted to this for a number of years and felt we finally had the chemistry to do it.”
Ridgewood students will present “White Christmas” on Friday, April 1 and Saturday, April 2 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, April 3 at 2:30 p.m. Presale tickets are $6 for students and $8 for adults. Tickets can be reserved by calling the high school office at 740-545-6345. At the door tickets are $8 for students and $10 for adults.
josie@coshoctoncountybeacon.com
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