5/7/2009 3:57:00 PM
Lemon Bay High School Theatre Selected As One Of The Top Seven High School Theatre Programs Internationally!
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| Katie Harrison and Dylan Profitt were 2 of the performers in The Wedding Singer. |
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Jennifer Kelly
It is 5:25pm on a Saturday night at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center. Lemon Bay High School Theatre students are already exhausted, dripping in sweat, and anxious to perform. In a mere five hours the 48' semi truck has been unloaded, every inch of scenery on the 35' x 40' stage has been reconstructed, props have been organized, 500 costume pieces have been steamed, ironed and organized, over 100 wigs rest on their heads in dressing rooms, and the Thespians stretch and vocally warm up with their hair done in wig curls, their make-up half complete.
The house is full within 3 minutes. It was evident the seasoned Englewood thespians had the audience in the palm of their hands as soon as the curtain rose and the audience was greeted by over twenty-five cast members in full 1980s garb! The screaming almost overpowered the vocals of lead singer, Senior Dylan Proffitt, as he sang the opening licks to "It's Your Wedding Day!" The moment was surreal.
The Lemon Bay High School Theatre students performed their production of "The Wedding Singer" last November for a panel of state judges, and were selected in early January as one of the "Top Eight" to Mainstage at the State Festival. This is their fourth time winning this honor having taken "Seussical: The Musical" in 2005, a workshop performance of "Swing" in 2006, and "Thoroughly Modern Millie" in 2007.
The day of reckoning finally arrived, and Lemon Bay performed two back-to-back performances of "The Wedding Singer." Amidst the adoring teenage fans, were three International judges secretly watching the first performance. The cast and crew received a standing ovation. Twenty minutes later they did it again with another standing ovation.
The International judges sent their critiques to headquarters. It was unanimous. Lemon Bay High School Theatre was selected as one of the "Top Seven" high school theatre programs in the world, and invited to perform at the International Thespian Festival in late June at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Lemon Bay's thespians have made such an impression on the attending judicators that they advised the board to schedule "The Wedding Singer" as the final performance of the festival.
The joy of receiving the coveted invitation quickly faded as the students investigated the cost. Each student is responsible for $555 to cover their individual registration, room and board just to attend the festival. There are 53 kids in the cast and crew, making a registration bill of $32,000 due by May 15th to cover the students and three chaperones. That doesn't include airfare or production costs to bring the semi truck full of scenery, technicians, professionals, or musicians to perform. The estimated total cost needed to be raised by June 1st is $75,000.
The cast and crew of "The Wedding Singer" is hoping for a miracle to happen! They are still in a state of shock, and honored to have been asked. More importantly, they know their hard work, sacrifices, and lofty goals paid off. "
The list of 2009 International Thespian Festival main stage productions includes:
• Dubuque (Iowa) Senior High School, Troupe 69, John Cariani's Almost, Maine
• The Missouri All-State Show production of William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream
• Forever Plaid by Flower Mound (Texas) High School, Troupe 6154
• Lanford Wilson's The Rimers of Eldritch, by Harry S Truman High School, Troupe 5008, Levittown, Pennsylvania
• The Memorial High School, Troupe 2980, production of Disney's Beauty and the Beast, by Alan Menken, Howard Ashman, Tim Rice, and Linda Woolverton
• Joe DiPietro's All Shook Up by the Ohio All-State cast and crew
• Lemon Bay Senior High School, Troupe 257, production of The Wedding Singer
Lemon Bay High School theatre is under the artistic direction of Jennifer Kelly (Grease, Cats, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Swing!), choreographer Sarah Baer (And 5,6,7, 8 Dance Studio), Assistant Producer Sherie Ragan (former LBHS Director from 1980-1997), and Music Director Jaclyn Cushman, and vocal coach Sharon Ponte.
If you have any ideas or suggestions to support the Lemon Bay High School Thespians achieve their dreams, please contact Jennifer Kelly at 626-0688. Thank you.
To help the Lemon Bay High School Thespians get to Internationals, donations can be sent to: LBHS Theatre Wedding Singer International Fund, 2201 Placida Rd, Englewood, FL 34224 or donations can be made by credit card online through the established fund in honor of Englewood Sun Herald reporter, Grace Gilbert, at: http://gulfcoastcf.org/page27421.fm?ecomfundid=10045661
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