Letter: Community Helped Make NKHS Production of "On the Town" a Success

To the editor:

The North Kingstown High School teachers, parents and students involved in the musical production, “On the Town”, would like to thank the many people who helped make the show a success. Just as this show was a showcase of the high school musical talent, the support by the community of North Kingstown was also a showcase of generosity and local pride.

The overriding memory for many members of the cast this year would be the snow. Not only did weather cancel rehearsals that are critically needed for a show of this caliber but it also buried our lawn signs over and over again. The banner that typically hangs for several weeks before the show could not be hung for safety reasons because of the constant forecast of snow. Fortunately, the word spread and the North Kingstown and Jamestown communities were able to spend a sun filled weekend enjoying the show.

If you were one of the many friends and family members who attended the performances on the weekend of March 6,7 and 8, we would like to thank you and ask that you please continue to support our advertisers. Without their financial support, a show like this would not be possible. We are very fortunate to live in a community where over sixty local businesses generously purchase advertisements in our playbill.

We are also fortunate to be surrounded by many performing arts venues which are all willing to support us with props, set materials and costume extras. In addition to supporting our prop and set needs, Theatre By The Sea and the University of Rhode Island theater department donated tickets to their own performances for our raffle.

Every year, we are grateful to Dave’s Marketplace in Wickford and Quonset, the North Kingstown Chamber of Commerce, Baker’s Pharmacy and the North Kingstown High School main office for taking on the job of selling tickets at convenient locations. Our ticket sellers work very hard to help nearly 2000 patrons get the tickets they desire without compensation – and they do it with a smile!

Thank you to Flowers by Bert and Peg’s for topping off our weekend with a flower fundraiser. Parents and friends were able to support our program and congratulate the students at the same time with beautiful flowers.

The list of parents who helped us build and paint the set, alter costumes, produce programs, gather props and provide behind the scenes support is too long to list here. Thank you all for jumping to our assistance when we needed it.

Most of all, we are all grateful to the teachers who came together to teach lessons these students will never forget. Norma Caiazza calmly worked with one hundred high school students helping them with vocal challenges as well as many other issues that are critical to the production. Our choreographer, Linda Taggart taught the students the elaborate dance routines that complemented each scene. Many of these students have never danced before but with Taggart’s skill and vision, the NKHS musical is a dance spectacle not to be missed! Robert Shaffer designed and created the magnificent dinosaur puppet used in the production. Mike Iadevaia skillfully directed high school orchestra and band students in the phenomenal pit band. Katherine Hammersley, an alumnus and URI graduate, created and altered many of the hundreds of costumes in the show.

We hope you had a chance to see the On the Town production to see how dedicated these students are to the winter musical performance. We should all be proud of this coming together of our community as well as the commitment demonstrated by these high school students. Again, thank you all for your support.

— Signed,
North Kingstown High School teachers, parents and students involved in the musical production of “On the Town.”