BY TOYNETT HALL
Staff Writer
LAKEWOOD – Murder, love triangles and cross dressing are the elements commonly found in the art of today’s pop culture.
While critics continue to dispute the sexually implicit and violent content of this era, others may refute that these social ills have been ingrained in American culture for centuries.
The 1972 Broadway musical “Sugar” is an adaptation of the 1959 movie “Some Like It Hot,” a classic American comedy about two out-of-work musicians who witness a mob hit and subsequently have to disguise themselves as women in an all-female band in order to find work and hide from the mobsters who are trying to kill them. Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis played the musicians in the film.
“Sugar” will be performed by Lake-wood High School students at Lakewood High School, 855 Somerset Ave., at 7 p.m. March 23-24 and at 2 p.m. March 25. Tickets are $3 for students and $5 for the general public. More than 30 students will take part in the performance.
Songs from the musical include “Penniless Bums,” “We Could Be Close,” “The Beauty That Drives Men Mad,” “Sugar,” “Beautiful Through and Through” and “When You Meet a Man in Chicago.”
Lakewood High School director-choreographer Angela Corenblith said, “We decided to do this musical because it was a lighter piece that featured and emphasized the talent of our male actors. It’s a nice change from drama and a different mood for many of our students who are fairly new to musical theater.”
Corenblith is a graduate of Lakewood High School and has taught in the Lakewood school district for 21 years. She holds a master’s degree in performing arts and said, “When I grow up, I want to be an actress.”
Some of the actors have the challenge of playing dual roles.
Mark Fisher, 16, will play the role of Joe, the out-of-work musician, and Josephine, his female alter ego who performs in an all-girl band. He said dressing up like a woman is “kind of weird,” but added, “I’ll do anything for acting.”
Tyler Clark, 18, will play the role of Jerry, the other out-of-work musician, and Daphne, his female musician alter ego.
Shamyra Smith, 15, who plays band director Sweet Sue, has also been bitten by the acting bug.
“I like the feeling I get when I act. I enjoy being someone else,” Shamyra said.
Corinne Haupt, 18, who plays the alluring Sugar, is encouraging community members to come out and support the play.
According to Corinne, the play is “a lot of fun and filled with a wide array of characters. It has a lot of really good people.”