North Fork high school musicals set to ring in spring
Three North Fork high schools will hold their spring musical performances over the next two weeks. All the musicals feature fantastical elements, with Mattituck performing “Once Upon a Mattress,” Southold tackling “Matilda” and Greenport taking on “Shrek.” This year, all three shows have been choreographed by Karissa Despres, owner of the North Fork Academy of Dance.
Southold
Southold Drama Club will present “Matilda,” a stage adaptation of Ronald Dahl’s classic 1988 tale of a girl from a neglectful family who realizes she has special powers. English teacher Casey Rooney directs, with Kelli McAlonie as musical director.
Dress rehearsal photos courtesy of Casey Rooney
“I just think it’s going to be a great show, and we’re looking forward to putting it on. The kids have been putting their heart and souls into the show, and they’ve been fantastic,” said Mr. Rooney. “So we’re looking forward to them having an audience, that’s for sure.”
The shows are Thursday, March 6 at 7 p.m., Friday, March 7 at 7 p.m., Saturday, March 8 at 7 p.m. and Sunday March 9 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $12 for adults and $8 for students and seniors, and will be available at the Southold Public Library beginning this weekend. Tickets are also available at the door.
Greenport
Based on the 2001 film about a gruff ogre and his reluctant adventures with a donkey, Greenport high school’s musical this year is “Shrek.” Erika Cabral and Dylan Finder are co-directors.
“The past few years we’ve done show a set in high schools: ‘Grease’ and ‘High School Musical,’” said Mr. Finder. “So this has been an opportunity for all of us to be creative in different ways, and have to think outside of the box.”
Ms. Cabral agreed, praising the students for being able to fully embrace their roles. “[in the previous shows] they’re just playing teenagers, but in this show they’re dressing up as pigs and fairies and dragons and all kinds of characters,” said Ms. Cabral. “They’re not acting like students or even humans. They’re characters from fairy tales. So they have to really act and step outside themselves.”
Shows are Friday, March 7, at 7 p.m., Saturday, March 8, at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Tickets are $12 for adults and $8 for students and seniors.
Mattituck
Mattituck Musical Theater Company presented “Once Upon A Mattress,” a humorous adaptation of the Hans Christian Andersen story “The Princess and the Pea.” The show was directed by English teacher Anne Gilvarry and junior high school chorus teacher Jacob Fowle.
“I joke around, but it’s true that this show does not have a serious bone in its body. The whole show is about fun, about laughter and music,” said Ms. Gilvarry. “And it’s very much a fun, escapist night of enjoying some love, some jokes, some songs, and some bright costumes. The whole feel this year we wanted to go for was bright and joyful.”
The shows were Friday, Feb. 28 at 7 p.m., Saturday, March 1 at 7 p.m. and Sunday, March 2 at 2 p.m. Tickets were available at the door. Adults are $10 and students were $5.
