SCHS cast to present ‘Beetlejuice The Musical’ at Salem Theatre
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(Times-Commoner Photo by Dennis Rosenberger)
The cast of “Beetlejuice The Musical” has been busy with rehearsals as they prepare to open the show. From left are SCHS cast members Halle Nix, Cole Wimberly as Beetlejuice, and Gabby Pinneda during a rehearsal on Monday night.
By DENNIS ROSENBERGER
stceditor@salemtc.net
Students from Salem Community High School (SCHS) will take the stage at 7 p.m. on Thursday, March 27, for opening night of the SCHS Theatre Department’s spring musical production of “Beetlejuice The Musical” at the Salem Community Theatre.
In addition to the Thursday night show, additional performances at the Salem Theatre this weekend are set on Friday and Saturday, March 28-29, at 7 p.m., as well as a matinee performance on Sunday, March 30, at 3 p.m.
“Beetlejuice The Musical” will then return for a second weekend of shows on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, April 3,4 and 5, at 7 p.m. to close out the musical’s run at the Salem Theatre.
The story follows a deceased couple who try to haunt the new inhabitants of their former home and call for help from a devious ghost from the other side who can only be summoned if his name is said three times. One of the new inhabitants is a young teenage girl, Lydia, who is dealing with her mother’s death and her neglectful father. Lydia soon discovers a peculiar power to see ghosts, and she turns to the undead to rehabilitate her family. However, nothing could prepare her for the chaos that’s to come.
(Times-Commoner Photo by Dennis Rosenberger)
From left, cast members Sarah Morris, Rylan Lawson and KJ Engel perform a scene from the SCHS production of “Beetlejuice The Musical” during a rehearsal on Monday night at the Salem Theatre.
Based on the 1988 movie “Beetlejuice,” from director Tim Burton, that was later adapted into a broadway musical, Johnson said the stage show only recently became available for theatre programs to perform.
He noted that the local theatre department was in the process of selecting their show for the spring musical when they became aware of this show’s availability.
“We alway try to put together a shortlist ahead of time and then the directorial staff sits down and kind of makes an augment for what show to do, and it just so happened that we got a notification right before our meeting that this show was becoming available … this is actually the first year for it,” said Johnson. “So, I applied right away.”
“We’re among the first school’s to get to perform this particular title,” Johnson added.
He explained that it will be a junior version of the full broadway musical, so it is a little shorter at about an hour and a half.
(Times-Commoner Photo by Dennis Rosenberger)
Cole Wimberly (left), as Beetlejuice, gets down on one knee and proposes marriage to Avery Jones (right), as Lydia, while performing a scene from the upcoming SCHS production of “Beetlejuice The Musical.”
“But, the things we’ve put into this hour and a half performance … I think this could end up being the best show we’ve ever done,” sad Johnson. “It’s jam packed full of entertainment.”
Johnson noted that auditions for the spring musical were held just prior to Christmas break.
“It was a tough process,” he said of auditions. “We had several kids come and really shine, and you will see that in the cast.”
Johnson noted that audiences can look forward to a talented cast of students from all grade levels performing a variety of musical numbers, along with some impressive special effects that will have theatre patrons wanting to come back for a second viewing to try and figure out how it was done.
The cast and crew for “Beetlejuice The Musical” includes more than 30 SCHS students who have been busy over the past few months getting the show ready, and with opening night on Thursday, Johnson encourages the community to make plans to come out and see what all of the fuss is about.
“There’s quite a bit of technology in this show … there are some special effects that are kind of on the order of magic,” said Johnson. “And then, it is also just a very funny show.”
(Times-Commoner Photo by Dennis Rosenberger)
Zoey Eastin, as Miss Argentina, throws her hands up in the air at the end of one of the musical numbers, with her castmates around her, during Monday night’s rehearsal for the upcoming SCHS production of “Beetlejuice The Musical.”
The cast of “Beetlejuice The Musical” includes: Cole Wimberly as Beetlejuice, Avery Jones as Lydia Deetz, Casper Waggoner as Juno, Olivia Howe as Barbara Maitland, Supphakrit Kongsiriwattanakul as Maxie Dean, Laci Harrell as the Sandworm, KJ Engel as Otho, Zoey Eastin as Miss Argentina, Sarah Morris as Delia, Gavin Buchanan as Adam Maitland, Rylan Lawson as Charles Deetz, Aubree Hoagland as Sky, Ria Niepoetter as the Shrunken Head, and Halle Nix as Maxie Dean.
Members of the ensemble cast are: Jasmyne Askew, Jaci Gammon, Kylie Vieira, Star Weber, Gabby Pinneda, Ameerah Adenekan, Elara Brubaker, Emma Turner, Aurielle Winkler, Kinley Montgomery, Eden Russell, Andrew Trout and Jordyn Carter.
Many of the cast members also fill technical roles as crew members for the production. Students involved in the crew who are not also in the cast include Lily Janic, Atiana Pitty, Ash Collier and Colton Pitty.
In addition to Johnson as director for the show, Dusk Donoho serves as assistant director and Andrew Steininger is the music director.
Tickets for the upcoming performances of “Beetlejuice The Musical” are available to purchase online at www.salemiltheater.org.
(Times-Commoner Photo by Dennis Rosenberger)
The full cast for Salem Community High School’s production of “Beetlejuice The Musical” gathered on stage at the Salem Theatre for a photo during Monday evening’s rehearsal. The show will open on Thursday evening, with a total of seven performances over the next two weekends.
