The Spencerport High School STAGE Drama Club’s presentation of Disney’s Freaky Friday is just around the corner.
The musical stars Hannah Taylor and Emma Nowak as the mother/daughter duo who, through a twist in the hourglass, trade bodies for just one day. This mind-swapping musical is anchored by over a dozen senior cast, crew, and pit band members.
The cast also includes 16 students from the newly-offered drama elective, Theatre Project, which offers students the opportunity to earn credit while learning about, participating in, and experiencing theatre.
Taylor and Nowak will use their previous fall musical experiences to take on the Freaky Friday challenge. Both actors play two roles; their main character as well as their counterpart trapped in the body of their main character. They will do this without the aid of major costume or makeup changes.
“It’s crazy playing a middle-aged woman with a teenager in her body,” said Taylor “We have to use body language to practice switching from being a prim and proper mom to a slouchy teenager.”
“Tone is also very important,” said Nowak. “Making sure to sound like a mom yelling at her kid, while looking like a kid yelling at her mom.”
Seniors Allison Montrois and Hannah Conroy-Rockell are also stepping out of their comfort zones in their roles as the antagonists.
“I play the intense gym teacher,” said Conroy-Rockell. “She’s always yelling. I get to be more energetic than I’ve ever been in a show. I need to be in-your-face the entire time. I’m very excited to see how far I can go with that.”
“I play Savannah. She’s the main mean girl,” said Montrois. “I am so excited because I’m not mean, ever, but now I get to act mean. I like that Savannah is mean but she’s also smart. She’s not a stereotypical villain.”
The intensity of this musical extends beyond the spotlights. Students also work behind the scenes on costumes, lighting, special effects, scenery, props as well as providing live music for the show.
“I have to play a lot of different pieces,” said alto and tenor saxophone player, Jamie Glozer. Several members of the pit band will play multiple instruments, sometimes switching in the middle of a song. “It can be a bit of a challenge getting all the parts down, but it’s fun music. I like it a lot.”
“I decided to work on costuming through the Theatre Project class,” said Meaghan Slingerland. “I helped with costuming a little last year and with the middle school play, too. It’s really cool to put the costume pieces together.” Meaghan’s favorite costume for Freaky Friday is her own teacher costume which includes prosthetics.
“This is my second year working on the crew,” said senior Mya Trainer who participated in tenth grade but not in eleventh. “I missed the atmosphere and the people. This is my community. I can be me and be completely covered in paint and it’s just fun.”
“The other directors and I are having a blast putting together Freaky Friday,” said STAGE Drama Club Director Katie Allen. “A huge kudos goes out to these amazing teenagers for their passion, dedication, and teamwork. Whether they participate in the cast, crew, or pit band, each of them is vital to the success of our show, and we are beyond appreciative of their commitment, as well as their willingness to showcase their many talents.”
Stage Drama Club is one of the largest clubs at Spencerport with 65 students comprising the cast, crew, and pit orchestra.
Performances of Freaky Friday will be Thursday and Friday, November 16 and 17, at 7 p.m.; and Saturday, November 18, at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. Tickets are $13 and will go on sale to the public on November 1 at the ShowTix4U website. Tickets will also be available at the door.
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