The Cherry Hill East community traveled back in time on Oct. 14 with “Back to the Prom,” an original play written by East’s Theater Director Peter Gambino and performed entirely by East staff members, outside of students who helped with sets and other details.
The performance marked 10 years since the last faculty performance in 2013. Prior to the current show, staff have participated in two others by Gambino: A parody of “The Wizard of Oz” in 2011, and “Charlie and the College Factory,” in 2013. The latter was a fundraiser and a sequel to the first production honoring the late Charlie “Moose” Musumeci, an important member of the East theater program and a softball coach.
“[Musumeci] was a very beloved member of this community,” recalled Gambino. “Not only at school, but also in the community.”
“Back to the Prom” is a nod to ’80s time travel films like “Back to the Future” and “Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure” and featured both song and dance. Parody lyrics for songs were written by East staffer Bert Figueroa. The show follows two slacker teens, Jill and Red, who are banned from the prom by their principal because they lack credits to graduate.
“When people see this, they’re not seeing some 20-minute talent show, they’re going to see a full-length show and it’s going to be acted and memorized and choreographed,” said Gambino. “I think it’s really going to be impressive.”
Gambino said the play was intentionally written for an all-staff cast so performers can have an opportunity to work together more informally, boost their morale and show a different side of teachers who truly care about the community and the students who attend East.
Janet Chow, an English teacher at East, plays Jill in the show. Though it was a new experience for her, she embraced it fully.
“I have a deeper appreciation for students who are in theater and in drama, especially the tech students,” she acknowledged. “They’re building the set and the lights and all that.”
Marc Pierlott, an East economics and philosophy teacher who plays the principal, got involved after hearing kudos about the last show.
“It’s been wonderful,” he noted. “It’s been a lot of fun working with my colleagues in a very fun setting. Everyone’s been very supportive of each other. We have a lot of laughs, but we work very hard, too.”
The one-night show – for which rehearsals began in June – was long awaited by both students and staff.
” … The dancing, the singing – all of it is so well done,” said Trevor Preece, an East senior in the school’s theater club who will star in its fall play, “A Midnight Summer’s Dream.” “It was a lot better than I thought it was going to be.”
