Newsies Seized the Day!

Posted: February 10, 2020 | Author: Admin | Category: Student Life, Special Events, Fine Arts

Starting on January 30th and finishing February 1st, The Fine Arts Department of Indian Rocks Christian School staged four performances of the Disney musical Newsies. The reviews have been fabulous. Once again our students have pooled their talents to provide a synergy that allowed them to perform an incredibly challenging musical at an extremely high level. This year we again offered a dinner theatre offering on Thursday evening. The room was decorated elegantly, the food was fantastic and the show was amazing. And, it was a sellout.

Newsies featured 48 cast members that displayed outstanding talent in their singing, acting and dancing. The show featured a complicated display of choreography that was in tight unison and formation. If you didn’t see it, it is truly difficult to find the words to adequately describe how spectacular this production really was or how incredibly proud I am of our Fine Arts Department.

Maybe one of the most striking parts of the whole production was the “family” that formed in the five months of rehearsing. I had several students and parents tell me that the bonds that were formed during this run were meaningful and life changing. This was probably the most evident in the area of spiritual growth. Rehearsals featured a devotional time to challenge the students. Before each show, the students would gather backstage for praise, worship, and prayer. It was unforced and they all participated – to the point that at times it had to be cut off because it was show time. Several of the cast members struggled with illness during the weekend of performances. Their “family” took it upon themselves to huddle together to pray for each of these as they were on stage performing. I’ve never seen anything like it. I got goosebumps then and again now as I’m writing this. One student said, “What really stood out to me was walking back stage during the performances and seeing a group of students praying for each other while they were on stage singing solos. It was really encouraging. I really felt like God was present during the entire production.”

It is so hard to start the “thank you parade” without leaving someone out but I am going to make the attempt.

Thank you students for all of the hours and hours of hard work you put into rehearsals. Your dedication truly showed in the magnificent outcome.

Thank you seniors for stepping up and providing the leadership to help make this an incredible success. Your abilities and experience helped to train the younger students in what success looks like. It is a great legacy to leave our drama department.

Thank you rookie actors for trying out. This production had a number of students that were in their very first “big” production with IRCS. You displayed awesome talent that will make our fine arts program shine for years to come.

Thank you chorus Newsies. You don’t get a lot of recognition but what you did added so much to the musical. It couldn’t have been the same without you.

Thank you backstage and technical people. Your unselfishness to be willing to work behind the scenes allowed those on the stage to do their best.

Thank you Bob Jordan for building our set.

Thank you Lisa Veltman, Lori Gabriel, and Agnes Yu for taking on the costumes.

Thank you Robin Quinn and the art department for all the painting and props.

Thank you Caitlin Drakos for all you did to organize the dinner theater, flower sales, and the picture booth.

Thank you Pastor Dean Savage and the IRBC media department.

Thank you to all the volunteers and parents that took tickets, passed out programs, brought food and water, procured props, decorated, sold flowers, cleaned up, and did everything else necessary for success.

Thank you to Food Service for helping to make dinner theatre possible with the outstanding meal.

Thank you to Facilities for helping us wherever needed.

Thank you JillTed Florist for donating the flowers sold as a fundraiser for the drama department.

Thank you to our other donors C2 Design Group, Plexus, and the Wells Family.

Thank you Jaylin Photography & Films for the incredible “head shots” of our students.

Thank you to the leadership team of Director Cindi Banse, Music Director Rhonda Farver, Backstage Director Anna Alldredge and Choreography Director Brittany Kennedy for putting in the hours to work with our students that resulted in this phenomenal show.

Thank you to everyone who attended. The energy of the crowd greatly enhances the performance of the students. We are grateful for your support of the drama department at IRCS.

Until next year . . .

Thankful for our STEM Corporate Sponsors
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