Hardly status quo at Toll Gate

Posted 3/7/19

It takes hours of practice, not to mention a lot of planning, direction and overcoming of “those butterflies” to stage a production like Walt Disney’s “High School …

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Hardly status quo at Toll Gate

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It takes hours of practice, not to mention a lot of planning, direction and overcoming of “those butterflies” to stage a production like Walt Disney’s “High School Musical.” It also takes some friends and some money, as Darlene Netcoh, who with Matthew Hodge are faculty advisors to the Toll Gate Drama Club, knows so well.
“I forgot to add that the drama club thanks the Robert J. Shapiro Foundation for its generous donation and Five Guys restaurant in Cowesett for hosting a fundraiser for us on February 21. The restaurant gave us 15 percent of their profits from 5 to 8 p.m. that night,” Netcoh writes in an email.
The real currency of the show is onstage, as witnessed during a rehearsal Tuesday afternoon at the Robert J. Shapiro Performing Center for the Arts at the school. The cast was rehearsing “Status Quo,” the singing and dancing number that closes the first half of the play.
The energy was palpable, and even though the cast was working without microphones – that won’t be the case this Friday and Saturday – the singing was audible. As soon as the number concluded, student directors Jenna Carmichael, Jayda Ford and Adrianna Pacheco, who was also the choreographer in addition to having a lead role, started their criticism and making adjustments. Netcoh and Hodge stepped back and let them run the show.
This is the club’s second production of the academic year.
On Feb. 13 they staged “A Cabaret for a Cold Night, in a Short Month” in the school cafeteria. A grant from the R.I. State Council on the Arts enabled the club to have artists from the R.I. Philharmonic and Orchestra Music School work with the students and provide voice training and musical accompaniment, in the form of a pianist. On cabaret night, which also served as a fundraiser for the Disney show, a pianist was there to accompany most of the students.
Erin O’Toole, the stage manager, heads the behind the scenes with the stage crew to paint scenery, put together props, and make the scene changes go smoothly.
The cast includes Troy Bolton played by Liam Roberts, Gabriella Montez, Adrianna Pacheco; Sharpay Evans, Elizabeth Barrett; Ryan Evans, Jaedon Cole; Kelsi Nielsen, Arianna Izzi; Chad Danforth, Mike Graves; Zeke Baylor, Chris Edmiston; Taylor Mckessie, Grace Hamilton; Jack Scott, Dylan Walsh-Randall; Martha Cox, Mackenzie Houllahan; Mr. Darbus Danny Pierce and Coach Bolton played by Tripper Normand.
Making up the ensemble are Hailey Clark, Sarah DeCosta, Samantha Larirvee, Amelia Lombard, Noel Marold, Ella McNally, Berit Olsson, Nuteng Thao, Anya Vollucci and Abby Wildgoose.
Making up the stage crew are Allison Butera, Inell Chase, Sabrina Dengel, Kaitlyn Gavitt, Jaemin Hyun, Kerrin Li, Emma Lynch, Isabella Ann Martinez, Emily May, Bailey McGlynn, Sabrina Nardone, Shannon Roberts, Robert Rooney, Noah Santagata, Alexandra Staples and Emma Vollucci.
Providing technical support are Sophie Amore, Courtney Cardenas, Justin Caron and Alexander Mullin. Marissa Stern is the graphic designer.
Walt Disney’s High School Musical will be performed at 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Tickets are $10 at the door.

(Text and photos by John Howell)

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