Performing Arts
Wootton's theater department was once described by Principal Michael Doran as "the closest thing to Broadway for miles around." Leads in the 2003 production of "Les Misérables" went on to attend music or theater programs at the Cincinnati Conservatory, Tisch @ NYU, the Penn State School of Music, Interlochen Arts Academy, and Musical Theatre at Emerson College among others. Other shows recently performed include "Seussical," "Flowers for Algernon," "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown," "On the Town," and both the male and female versions of "The Odd Couple." In recent years, Wootton has staged "Revenge of the Space Pandas," "Children of Eden," "Sweeney Todd," "Honk!," "Macbeth Did It," "My Favorite Year", "Horror High", "Grease", "Beauty and the Beast", "You Can't Take It With You", "Aida","Bye, Bye Birdie", "Mrs. Bob Cratchit's Wild Christmas Binge", and "Once Upon A Mattress.". Wootton's December 2005 production of Jason Robert Brown's "Songs for a New World" was selected to be the full-length featured show at the Maryland State High School Theaterfest on February 11, 2005. In fall 2008, the musical "Grease" (revised student version) was a huge hit, selling out every show. In 2010 to celebrate Wootton's 40th Anniversary a musical review called "A Decade of Hits" which featured popular songs from Musicals Wootton had done in the past 10 years was performed. Medleys in the review came from but are not limited to "Sweeney Todd", "Les Miserables", "Seussical", "My Favorite Year", "Joseph and the Amazing Technocolor Dreamcoat", and "Beauty and the Beast" The 2009 Spring musical was "Beauty and the Beast". In the spring of 2007 Matt Culbertson and Eli Mangold received Wootton's first Cappie Award for Sound Production for Children of Eden. In spring 2008 the musical "My Favorite Year" brought home the cappie for Comic Actress in a Musical (Katina Kempel, Alice). The 2009 spring musical Beauty and The Beast brought home 3 Cappies Awards for Featured Actor in a Musical (Mattia D'Affuso, Lumiere), Lead Actress in a Musical (Jessica Futran, Belle), and Best Song (Be Our Guest).
In addition to the annual play and musical productions, the year 2009 included an extra performing arts event. Under the direction of senior Salah Czapary, Wootton students put together a production of a stage adaptation of the Academy Award Winning short film, West Bank Story co-written by Ari Sandel and Kim Ray with music by Yuval Ron.
Read more about this topic: Thomas Sprigg Wootton High School
Famous quotes related to performing arts:
“More than in any other performing arts the lack of respect for acting seems to spring from the fact that every layman considers himself a valid critic.”
—Uta Hagen (b. 1919)