‘The Sound of Music’ hits the WMS stage this week!
Public performances Thursday, Friday at 7 p.m. at Watertown Middle School
The cast and crew of “The Sound of Music” at Watertown Middle School pose before rehearsal this week. The 2017 spring musical will have public performances on Thursday, March 2, and Friday, March 3. Show times both nights is 7 p.m. Tickets are only available at the door.
February 28, 2017
What is this year’s play at Watertown Middle School, you may ask? WMS is putting on “The Sound of Music,” coming this week with shows for the public on Thursday and Friday nights at 7 p.m. Tickets are only available at the door. (Complete cast and crew list below)
It all began Tuesday, Nov. 1, with auditions. “The Sound of Music” was a heart-warming movie made in 1965 and has been performed as a musical ever since. “The Sound of Music” is based of a real-life Von Trapp family during World War II. Maria, a bubbly nun, becomes the governess in the home of a widower with seven children and brings love and music into their lives once again.
Abby Casey will direct the play. She held auditions on Tuesday, Nov. 1, and Thursday, Nov. 3.
When asked why she picked “The Sound of Music,” she said, “For the past three years we have gotten a true Disney experience with shows like ‘The Little Mermaid,’ ‘Peter Pan,’ and ‘The Lion King.’ ‘The Sound of Music’ is not only a classic, traditional style of Broadway show, but it tells a story of perseverance, loyalty, and love in a dangerous period of history.”
Sixth-grader Bridget Donohue has performed at the Priscilla Beach Theater and Watertown Children’s Theater. Before auditions, she was hoping for a supporting role in “The Sound of Music.”
“I have performed in ‘Beauty and the Beast, ‘Annie,’ ‘Charlotte’s Web,’ and others,” she said.
Sixth-grader Shannon Fitzpatrick has performed in many musicals and plays, such as “Annie,” “Raining Cats and Dogs,” and many more. What was she most excited about? She stated, “For the fun of acting and I am also excited to meet new people.”
Don’t worry if you’re don’t like to be on stage! You can always help out backstage or with sets and costumes! Eighth-grader Ryan Leonard helped out last year in the WMS production of “The Lion King.”
“I liked working backstage and in the sound booth because you could really watch the play come together scene after scene and prop after prop,” he said.
Eighth-grader Christina Zouein was an actress in WMS’s previous production of “Peter Pan.”
She was asked, “What’s some advice you would give upcoming students to encourage them to audition for this year’s musical?”
Christina said, “It was an amazing experience to perform in front of my classmates and school,” she said. “I also would suggest auditioning because it was a great way to interact and meet new people, not only in your grade, but other grades as well.”
According to Mrs. Casey, the hardest part about putting a show together is “finding the magic combination of cast, crew, and show design.”
“We have a story to tell, and if certain parts of the show are unbalanced, the whole thing begins to crumble,” she said. “Every person involved with a show is important, whether it’s the star or the spotlight operator! But, every cast and crew member needs to do their share of the work, so we create a world that the audience believes.”
Cast and crew
2017 Watertown Middle School musical
“The Sound of Music”
RESIDENTS OF NONNBERG ABBEY
Mother Abbess: Gracie Denneen
Maria: Giulia Salvucci
Sister Berthe: Tanya Kaya
Sister Margaretta: Leyla Mandel
Sister Sophia: Lana Taffel
Agneta, a Postulant: Amelie Stitchbury
NUNS ENSEMBLE
Emily Azevedo, Naomi Baker, Gabby Bondaryk, Lara Cordeiro, Jodie Coulter-deWit, Tini Coulter-deWit, Flynn Coyne, Kailee DeJesus, Nicole Delgado, Emmalina Devoy, Kayleigh Dore, Riley Doss, Catherine Fabian, Claire Fabian, PJ Farwell, Katie Fitzpatrick, Shannon Fitzpatrick, Catherine Fleming, Iona Fleming, Eva Henry, Mona Houjazy, Alyce Judge, Eva Kelleher, Katerina Lithotomos, Ella MacDonald, Gianna Mariano, Ana Martocchia, Casey Master, Isabella Nitschke, Victoria Reilly, Tatiana Rizzo, Anna Vrahliotis, Kira Walker.
TOWNSPEOPLE OF AIGEN (Salzburg)
Captain von Trapp: Adam Haloui
Rolf Gruber: Sean Loughran
Liesl: Rita Hackett
Friedrich: Calvin Walter
Louisa: Kiera Treacy
Kurt: Tyler Herrero
Brigitta: Laura Howard
Marta: Miriam Karachi
Gretl: Jade Baker
Max Detweiler: Diego Benites
Franz: Daniel Garside
Frau Schmidt: Claire Fabian
Herr Zeller: Iona Fleming
Baron Elberfeld: Riley Doss
Admiral von Schreiber: Casey Master
LONELY GOATHERD ENSEMBLE
Goat: Kayleigh Dore
Girl in Pale Pink Coat: Kira Walker
Mama: Harriet Neeley
CONTESTANTS IN THE FESTIVAL CONCERT
The Ladies of the Saengerbund of Herwegen: Jodie & Tini Coulter-deWit
Fraulein Schweiger: Lara Cordeiro
GERMAN SOLDIERS
Eva Kelleher. Amelie Stitchbury. Alex Maguire. Iona Fleming, Ana Martocchia, Kira Walker, Catherine Fabian.
“THE SOUND OF MUSIC” CREW
Director: Liana Rice
Stage Manager: Theresa Cabral
Orchestra: Ronan Greene
Light Board Operator: Malcolm MacDonald
Sound Operator: Theresa Cabral
Spotlight Operators: Andrea Martocchia, Zuhi Masud
Costume Manager: Martha Aramthip
Costumes: Kaleigh Stout
Backstage Crew Chief: Jared Norton
Set Run Crew: Zoe Doyle, Maud Neeley
Front of House Staff: Ryan Leonard, Eleni Hum
–Feb. 28, 2017–
