'Unforgettable Follies' Comes To Madison Beach Club

MADISON, CT — Haven’t seen Hamilton yet? Missed the Rent revival tour? Or maybe you yearn for a classic from South Pacific or Fiddler on the Roof? The 2017 Madison Beach Club’s "Unforgettable Follies" hits unforgettable show tunes on the Beach Club stage August 4 and 5.

Rehearsing the title song from Hamilton: Jamie Watkins, Ryan Cawley, Alexandra Lee, Jack White, Jason Burke, John Van Ostenbridge

This Broadway salute covers acts from the 1940’s (Kiss Me Kate) to current show-stoppers from Hamilton and Chicago. The cast of 39 members ages 14 and up will continue the Club’s 81-year entertainment tradition, with portions of the proceeds going to local charities.

“The Follies is such a fun tradition,” says Follies Chair Andrea Van Ostenbridge. “What better way to celebrate that tradition than to bring back some perennial favorites, and introduce some of the newest music on the Broadway stage right now.”

Practicing in Poodle Skirts from Grease: Alexandra Roesch, Emma Uzgiris, Paige Van Ostenbridge

The teen cast is particularly excited about performing the hip hop title song from Hamilton.

“Hamilton will give us rap, relevance and perhaps, a revelation for those who’ve not seen it,” said Follies director Matt Harrison. “But how much fun to mash that up against Cabaret and Grease?”

To create that flow with so many divergent themes, the Beach Club turned to Matt Harrison to helm this year’s Follies. Harrison is a theatric veteran who directs the vocal programs at Hamden Hall Country Day School. So he knows a thing or two about getting teens - and adults — in line.

Matt Harrison of Hamden Hall Country Day School, directs the Madison Beach Club Follies this summer

“How can you get a teenage cast to focus? Confiscate their cell phones,” laughed Harrison. That's a tall order for the 30 hours of rehearsal a week put in by the teen cast. “The beautiful thing about our cast is that they don't miss their phones because they're forging lifelong memories with their friends through song and dance. With these teens, the only drama that happens is on stage.”

Harrison’s “stage rules” seem to be working: 12 girls normally attached to their cell phones worked with Harrison and choreographer Tiffany Wilson, meticulously getting the kick-line in high stepping order to “All That Jazz,” from Chicago.

Choreographer Tiffany Wilson of Bridgeport directs the front line of “All That Jazz" from Chicago.

The Follies has been a Beach Club teenage rite of passage for 4 generations of tanned teens, who come in off the tennis court or the fleet of sailboats in the harbor, to put on a show. It brings out the talent — or at least the guts -- to try something new.

Says Mrs. Van Ostenbridge. “My son, John (15), who plays football and tennis, had never tap danced before he was in the Follies. But there he is, up there learning how to tap dance. Where else but The Follies?"

“It’s a real bonding experience," says 15-year-old Claire Hennessey, in her third year of The Follies. “Before Follies, I’d never had a boy do a swing dance with me and throw me up over his shoulders. Then you see the same guy at tennis the next day you’re like, “'Oh, hey.’"

Jazz Hands: Director Matt Harrison encourages “stage enthusiasm” to his teen cast

The bonding was apparent during a recent rehearsal of the song “Finale B” from the play, Rent. “To see a group of teenagers really embrace those lyrics — ” said Harrison, his voice trailing off. The song is a tearjerker, but high energy:

"There's only us

There's only this

Forget, regret or

Life is yours to miss

No other way

No day but today."

No Day But Today: Jason Burke, Paige Van Ostenbridge, Ryan Cawley, Alexandra Roesch, Jack White, Alexandra Lee, John Van Ostenbridge, Emma Uzgiris, Jamie Watkins

Harrison echoed that sentiment during a recent rehearsal: “To see them look around at their beach buddies, sailing crew or tennis partners and together realize — yup: 'No day but today’.”

The Friday August 4 performance at 7:30pm is open to the public. Tickets, $15 for adults, $7.50 for children, can be purchased in advance at the Madison Beach Club, 128 Island Avenue, or at the door the night of the performance.

Gotcha! Jamie Watkins catches Paige Von Ostenbridge as she jumps off the jetty while rehearsing a scene from Grease

Dreamy on a summer’s day: Emma Uzgiris, Alexandra Roesch, Paige Von Ostenbridge practice a scene from Grease

Photo Credits: Anne Foley