The night of Thursday, November 29, will be one of magic at Old Rochester Regional High School (ORR). At 7:30, the curtain will rise and the premier of the ORR Drama Club’s fall production of Cinderellawill have audiences spellbound with magic faster than you can say bibbidi-bobbidi-boo!
Even on the night of Tuesday, November 27, the magicians who comprise the stage crew were busying themselves, not unlike the mice of the beloved fairy tale, sending the sounds of drills, pulling of curtains, and the sliding of sets from every direction. The actors were running around faster than Cinderella could run from the prince at midnight, and all along the encouraging words of ORR’s new Drama Club Director Gregory Silver conducted the choreography of the magical chaos that is all part of the preparation to knock your glass slippers off Thursday through Sunday, December 2.
It’s the dawning of a new day at ORR, a once-upon-a-time unfolding, if you please. Silver knows that the present moment is simply a continuance of picking up where the past left off and taking it into the future.
“We are maintaining history while putting a modern spin on classic theater,” says Silver during a moment of standstill as one group of actors swapped places with another group as the dress rehearsal commenced Tuesday night.
And where the magic lies is in what Silver calls his “five most important”: collaboration, communication, respect, technique, and vision.
“That’s how you put on a show,” Silver said. That’s where the amazement, enthusiasm, and talent figuratively turn silver into gold.
For this show, Silver said a lot had to do with reusing, rebuilding, and recreating as a team as the Drama Club moved forward this year. Which, of course, as Silver emphasizes, “At the end of the day it’s all about the students. It’s all for the students.”
Silver kept most of the production under tight wraps, not wanting to disclose too much of the surprise in store for the audiences. And as far as one could tell that night simply by looking around the auditorium, this show will be unlike any other at ORR.
This production of Cinderellawas arranged by Sally Netzel and is a classic retelling of the fairy tale with some modern twists. Victoria Kvilhaug stars as Cinderella along with Baylen Brunelle as Prince.
The show also features Jackie Barrett, Sarah Melloni, Kate Marsden, Bethany Cabral, Emma Blouin, Luke Couto, Sam Guillotte, Jillian Craig, Eddie Gonet, Andrew Steele, Elise Mello, Emma Williamson, and Marina Stephens, along with a full ensemble cast and crew.
They will welcome audiences on November 29, 30, and December 1at 7:30 pm, with a Sunday, December 2, performance at 2:00 pm.
Tickets are $10 for students and senior citizens, and $12 for general admission. For reservations or information please call 508-758-6762.
By Jean Perry