By: Alexis Stallard, Editor-In-Chief
Rehearsals and auditions are underway in Newman’s theater department as it prepares for the first shows of the year. Theater director Mark Mannette will be directing “All My Sons,” a play by Arthur Miller, to begin the year. Next up, music director Deanne Zogleman will be directing “The Wedding Singer,” a musical based on the 1998 Adam Sandler movie.
“All My Sons” has already begun rehearsals and will open on Thursday, Oct. 5, and close on Sunday, Oct. 8. The play is based on a true story and is set after World War II. This play was Miller’s breakthrough after his first one did not succeed on Broadway.
“Arthur Miller was probably one of the greatest playwrights of the 20th century in this country,” Mannette said. “‘All My Sons’ is the one that put him on the map. Without it, we might not have gotten ‘The Crucible’ or ‘Death of a Salesman.’”
Mannette said that the cast will consist of new and familiar faces, with some of the key roles even being played by freshmen.
“The Wedding Singer” will open Thursday, Nov. 16, and close Sunday, Nov. 19. Zogleman said that the musical was created after the movie became such a hit, so it will closely resemble the movie but with more singing and dancing.
The musical follows Robbie Hart, a wedding singer, and his journey of redefining love after he is left at the altar by his fiancee. Zogleman said the show is energetic and rated PG. It’s usually performed at the high school levels of theater and up.
Zogleman said she is excited for the musical and looks forward to working with a group of talented students.
“I love the musical every year, and this year is special because we have a fantastic creative team…” Zogleman said. “We have a wonderful technical director that has spent the last few years performing on this very stage and will be a welcome addition to the team.”
Austin Schwartz was hired as the new technical director for the theater department and is already working on both shows. Schwartz, a recent Newman graduate, performed, wrote, and directed several shows while he was a student at Newman.
Watch for ticket information for both shows closer to their opening nights.
PHOTO: Courtesy photo
