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EAST WINDSOR: Middle school students perform play prior to heavy snowfall

The show must go on!

By Amy Batista, Special Writer
The highlight of the show for me was the enthusiastic applause from the mostly student-filled crowd at Friday’s conclusion and the excitement from the performers who were equally enthusiastic knowing they had just nailed a really good performance.’ -Paul Connolly, Board of Education
   EAST WINDSOR — Despite the recent snowfall, pirates invaded Kreps over the weekend as middle school students presented their rendition of Gilbert & Sullivan’s “The Pirates of Penzance Junior.”
   It starred Claire Ernst as Mabel, the general’s daughter, and Brian McGlew as the pirate, Frederic. The young pirate falls in love with Mabel during the course of the musical.
   Additional starring roles included Samuel played by Christopher McGinley; The Pirate King played by Nilanjana Das; Ruth played by Deziree Bryant; Kate played by Ananya Ramachandran; Edith played by Holly Bridgman; and Isabel played by Dahlia Grub-Tulley.
   While the Thursday and Friday night showings went on as planned, the Saturday showing was rescheduled to Sunday, Feb. 10, due to Nemo, a Nor’easter, which struck a blow to New England last weekend while also bringing snow to New Jersey.
   Linda Sauer, who directed and choreographed the play, began as an assistant director in the fall of 2008 at Kreps.
   ”Gilbert and Sullivan shows use an unusual vocabulary since the shows were written 130 years ago by British men,” Ms. Sauer said. “The dialogue in the show was very different and the vocabulary extensive. We reviewed the vocabulary words and their meaning to the storyline. The cast also needed to use a dictionary to understand some of their lines at home.”
   The musical is a comical opera and its setting takes place on a rocky shore on the coast of Cornwall, England, around 1880.
   The tenderhearted pirates are having a birthday celebration for their young apprentice, Frederic, who has reached his 21st birthday. After a dilemma with her father, the general, Mabel and Frederic are reunited, and all the pirates become loyal subjects to the queen. Mabel also has a score of sisters.
   More than 400 family members, friends and students attended Friday’s night performance.
   ”We loved the show,” said parent Deirdre Misiura, of Hightstown.
   Her daughter, Fiona Misiura, played one of the general’s daughters.
   Paul Connolly, an East Windsor Regional school board member, attended the play in support of his daughter, Olivia Connolly.
   ”I thought the play was fabulous,” Mr. Connolly said, who holds an East Windsor seat on the Board of Education.
   Mr. Connolly said Olivia, an eighth-grader, is a painter and participated in creating the set’s backdrop.
   ”The highlight of the show for me was the enthusiastic applause from the mostly student-filled crowd at Friday’s conclusion and the excitement from the performers who were equally enthusiastic knowing they had just nailed a really good performance,” he said.
   For parent Dave Bell, of Hightstown, he was there to “to show his support,” too, for his daughter, Taylor, who played the role of a police officer.
   ”I enjoy seeing how excited and proud the kids are when they perform,” said Mr. Bell. “They put in a lot of time and give up their ‘hangout’ time with friends . . . It’s nice to see as many people as possible to show up and cheer for the kids’ hard work.”
   Fifty students were cast in roles, and 87 students worked in various crew positions.
   ”What is the range and level of the music?” Ms. Sauer questioned Tuesday. “How many scenes will be needed? . . . How difficult will it be to costume the cast? What special effects will be needed?”
   Ms. Sauer said she takes into account many factors when she considers choosing a play or musical.
   ”We had a marvelous cast,” Ms. Sauer said. “They worked very well together. The leads came into the first rehearsal with their lines of the beginning scenes already memorized.”
   The production also proved a tad more challenging for the cast as well as a learning experience.
   ”They took direction well and were constantly improving their acting to demonstrate their character’s feelings and part in the storyline,” Ms. Sauer said. “The choruses would go out of the auditorium and work on their movements and dance steps until they were needed on the stage.”
   Chris McGinley, who played the role of Samuel, a pirate, shared his experience.
   ”I was a little nervous backstage because it was the first time I got a solo,” Chris said. “It was really fun getting to go to rehearsals, trying different things out, meeting new friends and (learning diverse) songs.”
   He added, “Everyone did a really good job, and I was happy to be a part of that.”
   Costume production was overseen by Kerrie Peterson and Barbara Paolillo. Set design was created by Karin Lloyd and William Sauer. Lighting design was produced by William Sauer.
   For seventh-grader Fiona Misiura the experience was also a bonding one.
   ”Everyone was really close,” said the Hightstown resident.
   ”I learned a little about the history of the older times,” said Manas Sood, who described “The Pirates of Penzance Junior” as a “little more serious” than last year’s play, which was “Willy Wonka.” He concurred with his peers that the show was a "great experience.”
   The East Windsor seventh-grader stated, “We weren’t accustomed to it. For one thing, it used more difficult words because this was in the 1800s and also it was the people, their personalities.”
   ”I thought the play was going to be a difficult challenge more than the other ones because it was an older play but it turned out to be really fun,” said seventh-grader Taylor Bell.
   It was the first time Deziree Bryant, who played Ruth, the nursemaid, had ever been in a play — and she landed a leading role.
   Deziree said her parents encouraged her to try out.
   Now Deziree said she is looking forward to performing in the next one.
   ”I got to meet a lot of new friends,” Deziree said. “I’ll cherish it.”