May 8, 2015
The curtains will soon be opening for this years drama show. The drama club will be performing “In The Can: The NOT A Gangster Musical,” written by English teacher Joseph Goldberg. The show will be performed Tuesday through Thursday, May 19, 20, and 21, at 7 p.m. in the Osbourn Theater. Tickets will go on sale in the school store starting in May.
Thought Mr. Goldberg says that the time it takes to prepare the Drama Show varies, he has been preparing for this performance since July 2014. “The work behind a production like this is enormous” says Mr. Goldberg. The work includes writing the script, the music, the lyrics and arranging for things like costumes, props, business ads, the program, tickets, and A/V support. Along with planning for the show, Mr. Goldberg also balances teaching English classes, Drivers Education, and coaching the boys and girls JV tennis teams. However, he doesn’t mind the work, as “the diverse talents of students and the unique feeling of ownership we share creating an original work inspires me to write shows,” says Mr. Goldberg.
Mr. Goldberg has always had an interest in the performing arts; “I’ve studied and enjoyed film, music, comedy, and 1930s American culture and history.” This kind of background and experience is what gives Mr. Goldberg’s plays such originality.In addition, his plays have been very sucessful in the Michael Harms’s Theatre Festival Competition. Two year ago, the Drama Club performed “The Trial,” which won several awards in competition, such as Best Overall Play. Other awards can be viewed in the display case, located right outside of Mr. Goldberg’s classroom (R32). Unfortunately, the Drama Show didn’t participate last year due to a timing conflict with the music department and their trip to Virginia Beach. They returned triumph this year, competing and claiming four awards. Sophomore Melissa Gao won recognition for “Outstanding Performance in a Musical Comedy.” It was a win for everyone, though, as they could perform in workshops and recieve feedback. “It’s overall a good experience. It’s a good opportunity to meet new people. We get to meet people from other schools,” said senior Molly North.
The audition process was open to all students at Jamesville-DeWitt High School, and occurred in three different stages: the acting, the singing, and the dancing. Each auditioner was able to chose which parts they wanted to partake in. The judge panel was made up of the English department. Sophomore Gerry Wason and junior Shiloh Joyner both agreed that the audition process was very lax, and very fun. Mr. Goldberg says they look for “auditioners who project loudly, think about and embody the character, and are a dynamic stand out from the crowd.”