Video Preview: Mahwah High's Musical Weekend

Don’t get it confused with that flick starring Nic Cage and Meg Ryan. This musical, put on by the kids of Mahwah High School has more in common “Guys & Dolls” than ghosts and spirits. And they pull it off like old pros.

The play is split between dual realities: a Hollywood crime drama of the ‘40s and the real life of the screenwriter penning that plot. The first story follows the gumshoe, Stone (Sam Waxenbaum floors the audience with the opening number), who’s looking for a missing girl (Talia Durante who has a great solo later on). That’s soon interrupted by the screenwriter, Stine (show-stealer T. C. Lind) who isn’t nearly as together as the characters he writes.

Despite a few video glitches in the beginning and sound hiccups throughout, the performance was absolutely splendid.

With some high school productions you just hope that everyone remembers their lines but the students of Mahwah go above and beyond expectations.  Every role is spot-on (especially impressive considering that the cast’s parents weren’t even a thought when these character archetypes were en vogue), the band plays great and even the stagehands/extras keep things going smoothly as the set changes frequently.

Aside from the top-notch leads, which include a beautiful vocal by Alix Davis (as Carla Heywood/Alaura Kingsley) and stellar performance by senior Sarah Moyer (as Bobbi/Gabby), two stand-outs were Christopher Kolwicz (as Buddy Fidler/Irwin S. Irving) and Bailey Shada (as Donna/Oolie). Kolwicz and Shada mimic the verbal style of that era to perfection. It’s like the seeing stars of yester-year (yester-decade?) transported to the present.

The audience at Wednesday afternoon's special senior citizen preview performance, made up of senior citizens, parents, children, and Mahwah residents were uniformly impressed.

“The music was wonderful and they have a lot of talented kids in the show,” says Shirley Branna, one of the seniors at the show.

Julie Robinson called it “just incredible. These kids are so talented and professional and poised. I’m just so impressed. Their parents must be so proud. And the teachers who have brought this out [of them]...”

Vera Bastos said it was “very nice. The kids are fantastic. It was amazing how good they were.”

Those involved with the show were just as pleased as the audience.

Maritza Lind (mother of T. C.), the backstage manager, said, “The greatest thing that these kids get out of it is seeing the audience.”

Producer and director, Jean Johnson was very pleased. “I was first of all delighted that we had so many of our senior citizens here. I think it’s wonderful that they came out to support the kids and we can support them by providing a free production for them. I just couldn’t be happier,” she said.

Star, T. C. Lind, thought the show went great. “There were so many times when the audience clapped in places that we didn’t expect them to clap at… The overall feedback we’re getting from everyone right now is fantastic.”

The show can be seen on March 10, 11 and 12 at 7 p.m. and on Sunday March 13 at 2 p.m. in the auditorium at Mahwah High School.

Download the movie

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