Moorestown High School Theater is bringing to life one of the most iconic and classic musicals this spring.
Moorestown High School Theater will present its 2016 spring musical, “Hello, Dolly!”, a classic musical story of the joy of living, filled with happy songs, fun dance numbers, loving scenes and big personalities. The performances are Feb. 25, 26 and 27 and March 2, 4 and 5.
“People should come out to see ‘Hello, Dolly!’ because we feature a wonderfully talented cast. It has so many people in it, and it is such a wonderful production for all ages,” senior Olivia West, playing Molloy, said.
“I think people should see it because it is refreshing to see great young people do something wonderful. This is a feel-good musical, all of the messages are about embracing life, and (you’ll leave) tapping your toes,” Director Erica Scanlon Harr said.
More than 50 students in the cast, and almost 50 more behind the scenes, have been working hard since December to put together this classic, high-energy musical. With acting, blocking, singing, dancing, costumes, set pieces and orchestra music, “Hello Dolly!” has started to come alive on the MHS stage in just a few short weeks.
“You see all of these pieces of the musical come together like a puzzle, and it is really cool to watch,” senior Maxwell Bixby, playing Horace Vandergelder, said.
“Hello, Dolly!” is the story of Dolly Levi’s, played by senior Nicole Tsarouhas, efforts to marry Vandergelder, the well-known half-a-millionaire, and send his money circulating among the people like rainwater the way her late husband, Ephraim Levi, taught her. Along the way, she plays matchmaker for a number of fun characters throughout the musical. Classic songs include “Put On Your Sunday Clothes,” “Ribbons Down My Back,” “Before the Parade Passes By,” “Elegance,” “It Only Takes A Moment” and “So Long, Dearie.”
Scanlon Harr said MHS has been doing a lot of more contemporary musical pieces and decided to do a classic such as “Hello, Dolly!” to expose not only the students, but also everyone, to classical musical theater. She feels it is important to remember how musicals started, where they came from and how they have developed over the years.
Part of MHS Theater is teaching students about theater and all of its different aspects. Students have taken a lot from their experiences with MHS Theater. They learn so much about theater in general, but also gain life and career skills, as well as life friendships. Many of the seniors have been involved in the plays and musicals all four years of their high school career. Tsarouhas will be continuing with her love of theater by studying for her bachelor’s of fine arts in drama at New York University Tisch School of the Arts.
The director, as well as the students, feel that not only is the musical great with the dances, songs and story, but there is an important message to learn, and that is “carpe diem.”
“My favorite part is the message that it sends at the end of Act 1 where Dolly learns to live her life again and move on past her loss, and seize every day because I feel that is a message that is applicable to everyone’s life,” Bixby said.
“If you’ve lost someone you love or are moving on to a new phase in your life, everyone can relate. Making a decision to live life to the fullest and to choose to live life and be happy, everyone can identify with that,” Scanlon Harr said.
The cast hopes that everyone comes out to enjoy the musical, as there is something for everyone, from the young and new to musical theater to the old and a lover of the arts.
“It’s a lovely show, a classic. For those who know it, we definitely do it justice, and for those who haven’t seen it, it is just an incredible experience to be exposed to. I think it is important to really appreciate musical theater at its finest, which I think is ‘Hello, Dolly!,’” Tsarouhas said.
Performances will take place in the Moorestown High School auditorium, located at 350 Bridgeboro Road. The performances are Feb. 25, 26 and 27 and March 4 and 5 at 7:30 pm. All tickets are $12. There is a special matinee performance for senior citizens on Wednesday, March 2 at noon.
To purchase tickets, visit MHS Theater’s website at moores townhstheater.weebly.com, go to showtix4u.com and search MHS’s “Hello, Dolly!”, or get them at the door. For more information, check out the MHS Theater’s website, e-mail moorestownhstheater@gmail.com, or call the high school at (856) 778–6610 x22368.
