HANCOCK COUNTY — Over the next two weekends, all four Hancock County high schools will mount theater productions. April 25–28, Mt. Vernon High School will present “High School Musical.” The dates for Greenfield-Central’s production of “High School Musical” are April 26–28. New Palestine High School will present the dramatic comedy “She Kills Monsters” April 26–28. The weekend of May 3–5, Eastern Hancock High School performs “Beauty and the Beast.”
At Greenfield-Central it’s a toss-up as whether art imitate life or life imitate art when Chris O’Connor and Marin Anness take the stage as Troy and Gabriella, the lead actors in “High School Musical.”
The Disney-created made-for-TV musical depicts the universal story of hopes, dreams and rivalries inside a high school drama club. Troy, the athlete; and nerdy, smart-girl, transfer student Gabriella meet at a holiday karaoke party. They discover a mutual love for singing and vow to audition for the high school musical. Their plans are thwarted, naturally, by diva Sharpay Evans and her twin brother Ryan, who refuse to relinquish their lead actor status.
Enter O’Connor, a sophomore on the Greenfield-Central High School football and basketball teams; and enter Anness, a junior who recently transferred from New Palestine High School as a real life Troy and Gabriella.
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Click here to purchase photos from this galleryO’Connor had been a part of his church choir, but had never performed on stage before; Anness had been a member of the New Palestine High School show choir, but had never auditioned for any kind of theater production.
“Together, we’re like, oh wow, that’s crazy!” Anness said. “We’re actually living the show!”
O’Connor and Anness head up a cast of more than 50 students as G-C Drama presents “High School Musical” Friday and Saturday at 7 and Sunday at 2 p.m. at Greenfield-Central High School, 810 N. Broadway.
Anness views the theater production as a way to immerse herself in the culture of her new school. As with many of her generation, “High School Musical” has a special place in her heart.
“I’ve been watching the three movies on the Disney Channel since I was 5,” she said. “Everyone around our age is really excited to see they’re making a ‘High School Musical 4.’”
Teachers and his family convinced O’Connor to audition.
“I ended up getting the lead, which I did not expect,” O’Connor admitted.
Once cast, his next hurdle involved how to coordinate rehearsals with off-season four-days-a-week football and basketball conditioning sessions. Fortunately, football coach Travis Nolting was supportive.
He plans to try and bring the whole coaching staff to one of the shows,” O’Connor said.
Following the announcement of the cast, O’Connor put up with some good-natured teasing from his classmates.
“The joke is people just call me Troy because we’re kind of the same person,” O’Connor said. “It has some truth to it, so I chuckle when I hear it.”
As novices to high school theater, both lead actors have faced their challenges.
As part of a show choir, Anness sang as part of a group, and has had to work hard on her solo vocals.
For O’Connor, memorizing lines was a bit of a struggle, but he was proud to announce that he’d had his lines down pat since spring break.
The show holds a lot of nostalgia for drama director Carolyn Voigt as well. Like Anness, she also grew up watching “High School Musical” on the Disney channel, learning all the lyrics and choreography and taking “Which character would you be?” quizzes on Facebook.
Just like the premise of the show, Voigt had hoped to make a connection between the theater department and the athletic department — a wish that became reality when O’Connor joined the cast.
With choreography by Laura Berger-Harmon, vocal direction by Paul Grizzard, musical accompaniment by Chris Wing and a set design from assistant director Dennis Cole, all the pieces of a high school theater production are in place.
Cole’s versatile set design — in striking colors of red and white — was built and painted by the Greenfield-Central Drama techies. The flats hide surprise changes that will emerge throughout the performance. Cole and his crew recently earned a first place award for set design at the Indiana State Thespian Conference.
During a recent rehearsal, Voigt had students walk through the detailed scene change of turning the stage from a classroom into the cafeteria as actors whisked tables and chairs from backstage to center stage.”
The cafeteria then morphed into the show’s high school stage area as the students prepared for the audition scene, with Voigt urging them into character.
“Are you anxious? Are you nervous? Decide what it’s to be, and be that with your entire body,” she instructed.
Voigt acknowledges the show’s cheesy clichés and stereotypes.
“This show is this generation’s ‘Grease,’” she said. “Everyone loves cheesy sometimes, don’t they?”
On the other end of the theater spectrum is “She Kills Monsters,” being performed Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. at New Palestine High School, 4485 S. Victory Drive, New Palestine.
The dramatic comedy follows the journey of high school cheerleader Agnes Evans (played by Abbey Landis) as she struggles to come to grips with the death of her younger sister Tilly (Kate Black), who was hit by a car while riding her bike. That the accident came shortly after Agnes voiced a wish — that she didn’t have such an annoyingly dorky little sister — only adds to the poignancy of the plotline.
Time passes, and Agnes learns that her sister had been deeply involved in the fantasy game Dungeons and Dragons after discovering a notebook in her locker. The pages are filled with a game scenario, and Agnes sets out to discover just who her little sister — known as Tillius the Paladin — really was.
She visits Bigg’s Board Games and enlists ‘Dungeon Master’ Chuck Biggs (Payton Rader) to lead her through the nuances of the game. In the end, ogres and trolls aren’t the only monsters Agnes kills.
Drama director Caroline Clayton selected “She Kills Monsters” more than a year ago. The script choice turned out to be bittersweet when the role of Tilly went to Cate Black, whose older sister Alexandra died in December after an accident at a wild animal refuge in North Carolina.
“The very, very small Venn diagram of theater and life cross over in this play,” said Clayton, “in an intersection where in the play, the sister is coping with her family’s loss. We’re watching it happen in real life.”
Though there are touching moments, the play is not without its light-hearted ones. As Agnes immerses herself in Tilly’s game, the Dungeons and Dragons characters — a wizard, an elf, a fairy and vampire cheerleaders — come to life.
Clayton appreciates the help from New Palestine High School’s Dungeons and Dragons Club in getting the production rolling.
“They provided us with all the dice, the books and lots of information,” she said with a smile, “but they’re not in the show. They wanted to play their game.”
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“Beauty and the Beast” at Eastern Hancock High School
CHARLOTTESVILLE — Eastern Hancock High School presents Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast” May 3, 4 and 5 at Eastern Hancock High School, 10320 E. County Road 250 N. Friday and Saturday performances are at 7 p.m. The Sunday matinee is at 2 p.m. Relive the story of Belle as she is first held prisoner by the Beast and eventually falls in love with him. Tickets are available at the door before the show. For more information, visit Eastern Hancock Drama Club on Facebook.
Greenfield-Central present “High School Musical”
GREENFIELD — Greenfield-Central Drama presents Disney’s “High School Musical,” April 26 to 28 at Greenfield-Central High School, 810 N. Broadway. Friday and Saturday performances start at 7 p.m. The Sunday matinee is at 2 p.m. Tickets range from $8 to $10 and can be purchased online at gcdrama.org or at the box office on hour before the show.
Mt. Vernon High School offers “High School Musical”
FORTVILLE — Mt. Vernon Theatre presents Disney’s “High School Musical,” April 25 through 28 at Mt. Vernon High School, 8112 N. County Road 200 W. Thursday, Friday and Saturday performances start at 7 p.m. The Sunday matinee is at 2 p.m. Tickets range from $8 to $10 and can be purchased online at mvhs.booktix.com or at the box office on hour before the show.
“She Kills Monsters” plays at New Pal High School
NEW PALESTINE – New Palestine High School presents a high school adaptation of “She Kills Monsters,” April 26 and 27 at 7 p.m. and April 28 at 2 p.m. in the auditorium at New Palestine High School, 4485 S. Victory Drive. Tickets are $8 at the door.
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