The 2013 WHRHS school musical is....

The Roar of the Greasepaint-The Smell of the Crowd

On March 13, 14, 15 and 16 2013, Watchung Hills Regional High School will present their Spring Musical, the comic, tuneful masterpiece, The Roar of The Greasepaint – The Smell of The Crowd.  On Broadway, Greasepaint was a smash hit, running 232 consecutive performances.  Boasting an excellent musical score, written by Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley,  popular tunes include such hits as Who Can I Turn To, The Joker, and Feeling Good, just to name a few.  

Greasepaint is a parable disguised as a comic allegory about the conflict between Sir a despicable bully, who is always on the winning side, and Cocky, a meek partner and Sir’s foil, who always seems to be on the losing side of -“the game”. The game, like life, shows the trial and tribulations of the characters played out in front of us during the unfolding of the story. The title is a transposition of the phrase, “the smell of the greasepaint, the roar of the crowd”, used in an early Marx Brother’s movie to describe the experience of theatre performers. 

The cast includes a large student ensemble made up of characters like Cocky, Sir, The Urchins, The Kids, The Bullies and The Stranger.  On stage throughout the show, the large cast work as a Greek chorus, helping and hindering Cocky during his battle of wits with Sir.  Will Cocky overcome adversity and triumph over Sir in the end?   Come and see.  It promises to be a fun filled evening for all ages.

The show under the direction of Douglas Eaton with musical direction by Angela DiIorio, sets by Chris Valenti and Kate Griffin and costumes by Gail DeCicco promises to be a colorful and tuneful experience.

Production dates are March 13, senior citizen matinee at 3 p.m. and performances at 7:30 p.m. March 14, 15 and 16.

Tune In! Is a regular column featuring what’s happening behind the curtain in the WHRHS arts department. Follow the action as hundreds of students prepare for arts events throughout the 2012/2013 school year.