By: Stephanie Prokop
FLORENCE Musical notes bouncing as cheerily as the brightly colored full skirts of the cast of "Hello, Dolly!" filled the new auditorium at the Florence Memorial High School during rehearsal Monday.
The annual spring musical, which is set to open tonight, Thursday, will be the first spring musical performed at the Cedar Lane school since its opening in September.
Darranie Gibson, senior and lead character Dolly, said she is hopeful that the musical will sell out, just as it has in past years.
"We’re hoping that this production appeals to all generations, especially the older crowd," she said.
Darranie has been in four of her high school’s productions, starring in "The World Goes Round," her freshman year; "Cinderella," her sophomore year; and "Grease," her junior year.
This year the whole cast is excited, not only to have the brand-new auditorium to perform in, but also to have proper furniture and actual sets that are painted to fit the production’s early 20th century New York feel.
Darranie is counting the minutes to opening night, while senior Richard LaBaw (who plays leading man Mr. Horace Vandergelder) said he has some reservations about performing in the new auditorium.
"I think we’re ready, but you never know what could go wrong with the microphones or something," he said.
Still, freshman Lorraine Perri (whose character is Mrs. Irene Malloy) is sure that all will go on without a hitch.
"Last year we sold out two nights in a row," she said.
Most of the performers have had a bit of experience on stage before, whether at Florence or in summer plays and middle school plays.
Darranie said that she is excited to be working with the entire cast, and is bittersweet about it being her last performance.
The play’s premise is about a matchmaker, Dolly Levi, who takes a trip to Yonkers, N.Y., to meet up with a wealthy, well known bachelor Horace Vandergelder, who is in need of a willing wife to keep house for him. Her intent is to hook Mr. Vandergelder’s shop assistants up with women, and keeps promising Mr. Vandergelder that she has someone special reserved for him. While doing so, she weaves a tangled web of love matches. The characters go head over heels in a "free for all" style way of courting one another. Just before the curtain falls, the characters are each paired up accordingly.
Chorus numbers such as "Put on Your Sunday Clothes," and solo numbers such as "Ribbons Down My Back" are colorful, melodic tunes that the crew is hopeful will attract an older audience.
There’s also the rousing, catchy song of "Before the Parade Passes By," in which the cast parades down the isle waving ribbons and singing loudly.
The cast is made up of approximately 30 students, and the pit and stage crew ups the total to about 55 students.
Director Anne Croley said this is her third year directing the play, and that she had enjoyed performing musicals in high school, and thought she could take on the vocal portion of the play.
Ms. Croley is a vocal music teacher, and also teaches keyboarding at Florence Memorial High School.
Rounding out the cast list is Ernestina, played by Julia Federico; Ambrose Kemper, played by Chris Comstock; Ermengarde, played by Erika Schultes; Barnaby Tucker, played by Theo Moore; Cornelius Hackl, played by D.J. Pittenger; Minnie Fay, played by Jenna Anzuini; Rudolph Reisenweber, played by Billy Blackwell; and Stanley, played by Shaquille Millington.
Tickets are on sale now at the high school, and admission is $7 for general admission, and $5 for students, senior citizens and children under 3 are free. The play starts at 7 p.m., Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.

