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| MCHS musical this weekend |
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4/17/2015
By Afton Fairchild
It’s that time of year again! The annual Robert C. Haynes Montgomery County High School Musical opens this weekend in the MCHS auditorium, and cast members agree it’s sure to be supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.
Students in this year’s musical have the opportunity to bring the 1964 Disney favorite, “Mary Poppins,” to life here in Montgomery County. Cast members agree that the musical is reminiscent of the film, but offers a fresh new look at some of the characters and situations that appeared in the original.
Rylee Stafford, a senior who plays Mary Poppins, is reviving her role as the cheerful, umbrella-wielding nanny who floated her way into the hearts of many more than 50 years ago. Stafford first took on the role of Poppins at the age of 7 during the Summer Playhouse rendition of “The Magic Tea Party.”
While Stafford is much older than she was during that first portrayal, she now has the opportunity to work with several younger cast members in this year’s musical, as six of the cast members are in middle school or younger.
“We have a really young cast this year,” Andy Cora, who plays Bert, said. “We have some phenomenal freshman. We even have eighth graders who are coming up.”
Cast members Shayna Garrett (Jane Banks) and Ollie Fegenbush (Michael Banks) have joined the cast as fifth and fourth graders, respectively.
“These two are doing better than some high school students, we are very impressed with them,” Cora added.
“It’s been a blast, it really has,” Garrett said. “The cast members have just taken me and Ollie in, put us under their wings, and it’s just been so much fun working with them.”
Older cast members agree it has been refreshing to work with younger students in this year’s production, and helps them feel confident in passing on the legacy. Both Fegenbush and Garrett said they have greatly enjoyed the experience thus far.
“I would like to do this in high school and maybe even in college,” Fegenbush said.
“When I grow up, my goal is to go to New York, and I want to be on Broadway,” Garrett added.
A Bit of Magic
The 2015 musical is packed full of surprises the whole family can enjoy, cast members agreed. Between the elaborate costumes, tap dancing numbers and magic tricks, the audience will find themselves having fun right alongside the cast, Miriam Turner, a senior who plays Winifred Banks, said.
“It’s a bipolar musical is what I would call it,” Stafford said. “One minute, it’s a crazy, bright, colorful, fun scene where everybody is involved, everyone is having a good time. Then the next minute, it will rip your heart out with something really sad.”
Cora said audience members might want to stuff a few tissues in their pockets, for both laughing and crying.
“It’s a really emotional show,” he said.
But the show itself isn’t the only emotional part about this year’s production. The group says they feel closer this year than usual, as they have been put through trials both on and offstage that have required them to work together.
“It’s definitely taken a lot of teamwork,” Turner said.
In turn, that teamwork has helped the cast and crew grow together and strengthen the bonds they have formed. As with every year, new cast members arrive and veterans go, but the ending musical number this year really pulls on the heart strings of many of the cast members due to the words Poppins sings during her farewell scene.
“It makes me think of this senior year and how fast it’s gone, and how much I’m gonna miss this place and that my job is almost done here,” senior Hannah Banks (Mrs. Corey) said.
While they may be saying farewell to their high school days, senior cast members agree they will never say farewell to the many wonderful memories they have made.
“No matter where life takes me, this will always be a very good feeling deep down in my heart,” Cora said.
Opening night is this Friday, April 17, at 7:01 p.m. in the MCHS auditorium. Additional showtimes are April 18 at 2:30 p.m. and 7:01 p.m. and April 19 at 2:30 p.m. Admission is $10 for adults and $8 for students.
Senior Eddie Henderson, who plays George Banks, encourages the community to come out and support the cast and crew.
“No matter the reason, whether you’re going through a tough time at the moment or you just want to get away for a while, come here for a couple of hours, have a few laughs, cry a little bit if you want to, then maybe you’ll leave this place feeling 10 times better than you did,” he said.
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