By Emilee Shake
Working approximately 10 hours a week could be considered a part-time job. But for nearly 45 North Daviess High School students, it’s rehearsal time.
The hours of rehearsing are about to pay off when the group performs The Sound of Music on Saturday at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. and again Sunday at 2 p.m. in the North Daviess High School Cafetorium.
Though this classic Rodgers and Hammerstein production is a movie, a few characters have larger roles and some songs are different.
“The audience will probably notice there are a few differences in the stage version than the movie,” said Amy Dedina, musical director and ND’s chorus and general music teacher.
Dedina, who has been involved in the school’s annual musical for the last 14 years, does it not only because she loves musicals, but also it gives her the opportunity to get to know her students.
“Once you’ve done something of this magnitude with the students, you understand them a whole lot better. It’s a really good way to build a student/teacher relationship,” she said.
For more than 30 years, the school has produced a musical or a play. The rotation of the two began a few years ago, but last year timing was changed from spring to fall.
“One reason was because we did the The Christmas Carol, and we thought it made more sense to do in the fall,” Dedina said. “Another reason was to stay around winter and spring sports.”
Individuals from the community can expect professionalism from the cast and crew.
“Our facilities might not be at the professional level,” Dedina said. “But the kids work at making it as near perfect as they can make it. And I think they always end up being very mature and professional about that.”
Students participate in the musical for a variety of reasons. Some do it in addition to athletics; for others, music and drama are their focus.
“For some kids it’s experiencing a type of family, teamwork thing that happens when you really put everything you have into doing something with another group of people. For some kids it’s just an artistic expression. For a lot of kids, it’s a combination of the two,” Dedina said.
Freshmen through seniors are allowed to participate.
“I like it,” said Zack Lacy, sophomore. “It’s fun, kind of like a relief from the stresses of school.”
Lacy, who had a role in last year’s performance of The Christmas Carol, said this production has “a good message behind it,” which is important to him.
“I love the rush of the crowd,” said senior Kelsey Belford who has also been part of the cast and crew in previous years.
“I just love being someone else for awhile, letting all my ‘dramaticness’ come out.”
The set, which will include a mountain range and a background for 1930s Austrian mansion, was constructed by the cast and crew of the show.
“I think for a school our size to put on a full stage production, it’s quite an accomplishment,” Dedina said.
Laughing, Dedina shared a dress rehearsal story from the musical Meet Me In St. Louis performed in 2000. A large trolley cart was going to be a significant stage prop.
“We had two professional carpenters build it and measure the door it had to come through,” Dedina said still smiling.
During the dress rehearsal the night before when the music started, the students started to roll the trolley onto the stage only to find it was about an inch too wide. To keep the performance going, they all climbed over it and entered the stage.
Fortunately, the trolley was able to be torn apart then reconstructed before the performances began.
“It’s important that the kids have a chance to do something like this and realize they can do something amazing,” Dedina said.
