August 14, 2019 at 04:53AM
It's sometimes hard to believe the cast of "13! The Musical" are themselves middle and young high school students, given their level of talent and poise in the current Youth Company production of Stage 284 at the Community House, 284 Bay Road in Hamilton.
"It's very well executed," said choreographer and stage manager Sarah Bergeron.
She found the cast experienced and inventive. "They bring personality to their roles and add flair," she said.
"13!" revolves primarily around Evan (Jake Bassinger, 13) a New York City boy who moves to a small town in Indiana with his divorced mother. (That character is not in the show. In fact, there are no adult roles at all.) With his Bar Mitzvah coming up, he finds himself wanting to fit in with the popular kids at school, jocks and cheerleaders, but feeling more comfortable with a shy girl and a boy on crutches. Naturally, complications ensue.
Bassinger calls the show a "very realistic" portrayal of middle school. "It's what it's like," he said.
He's onstage most of the show. "It's been a lot of hard work but I'm having fun onstage," he said. "It's what I love to do."
Mara Stein, 13, plays the female lead, the shy Patrice. "It's a lot like what happens in middle school," she agrees.
She also enjoys her role. "It's a lot of practice but it's a lot of fun," she said.
Robert McLaughlin, 12, uses crutches as Archie. He feels using them fleshed out the character, and he is enjoying playing the part.
At 16, Sylvie Oldeman is one of the oldest members of the cast and finds "13!" realistic. "I feel like I'm past all that but it's fun to look back," she said.
She's enjoying playing Lucy, a conniving cheerleader. "Being the villain is so much fun," she said.
These players all sing well in solos, duets and trios but the best song in the show may be the 1950s-style "Bad Bad News," sung well by Timothy Kercher, Luke Leavitt and A.J. Porcello, who play members of the football team, with Kercher displaying some good comic talent.
There is also a good female trio, "It Can't Be True," sung effectively catty by Caroline Hopkins, Sofia Sarmanian and Charlotte Weld.
The production uses a creative backdrop of a wall with windows and doors for entrances and comments by characters and as a screen for photographs that show New York City, the country side and a school corridor.
A nice touch is having the football players and cheerleaders wearing the uniforms of the Hamilton-Wenham Regional High School Generals.
"13!" opened with a weekend of performances Aug. 9-11 and will continue with 7:30 p.m. shows Thursday and Friday, Aug. 16 and 17, and a 3 p.m. show Sunday, Aug. 18.
The next production for Stage 284 will be "Into the Woods" in November.
CAST LIST
Beverly resident Jake Bassinger, Evan; Essex resident Paige Mandia, Cheerleader 2; Lila Mulvey, Cheerleader, and Sofia Sarmanian, Molly; Gloucester residents Kelly Bates, Richie, and AJ Porcello, Eddie; Hamilton residents Sydney Amero, ensemble, Caroline Hopkins, Charlotte, Norah Keys, Cheerleader 4, Caroline Monahan, ensemble, and Ashley Smail, Cheerleader 3; Ipswich residents Timothy Kercher, Simon, and Olivia Parrott, Kendra; Manchester-by-the-Sea residents Lila Carpenter, ensemble, Luke Leavitt, ensemble, , Robert McLaughlin, Archie, Sylvie Oldeman, Lucy, Owen O'Leary, Brett, and Charlotte Weld, Cassie; Marblehead resident Julia Greenway, ensemble; Peabody resident Mara Stein, Patrice; and Wenham resident Hannah Donnellan-Doser, ensemble.
It's sometimes hard to believe the cast of "13! The Musical" are themselves middle and young high school students, given their level of talent and poise in the current Youth Company production of Stage 284 at the Community House, 284 Bay Road in Hamilton.
"It's very well executed," said choreographer and stage manager Sarah Bergeron.
She found the cast experienced and inventive. "They bring personality to their roles and add flair," she said.
"13!" revolves primarily around Evan (Jake Bassinger, 13) a New York City boy who moves to a small town in Indiana with his divorced mother. (That character is not in the show. In fact, there are no adult roles at all.) With his Bar Mitzvah coming up, he finds himself wanting to fit in with the popular kids at school, jocks and cheerleaders, but feeling more comfortable with a shy girl and a boy on crutches. Naturally, complications ensue.
Bassinger calls the show a "very realistic" portrayal of middle school. "It's what it's like," he said.
He's onstage most of the show. "It's been a lot of hard work but I'm having fun onstage," he said. "It's what I love to do."
Mara Stein, 13, plays the female lead, the shy Patrice. "It's a lot like what happens in middle school," she agrees.
She also enjoys her role. "It's a lot of practice but it's a lot of fun," she said.
Robert McLaughlin, 12, uses crutches as Archie. He feels using them fleshed out the character, and he is enjoying playing the part.
At 16, Sylvie Oldeman is one of the oldest members of the cast and finds "13!" realistic. "I feel like I'm past all that but it's fun to look back," she said.
She's enjoying playing Lucy, a conniving cheerleader. "Being the villain is so much fun," she said.
These players all sing well in solos, duets and trios but the best song in the show may be the 1950s-style "Bad Bad News," sung well by Timothy Kercher, Luke Leavitt and A.J. Porcello, who play members of the football team, with Kercher displaying some good comic talent.
There is also a good female trio, "It Can't Be True," sung effectively catty by Caroline Hopkins, Sofia Sarmanian and Charlotte Weld.
The production uses a creative backdrop of a wall with windows and doors for entrances and comments by characters and as a screen for photographs that show New York City, the country side and a school corridor.
A nice touch is having the football players and cheerleaders wearing the uniforms of the Hamilton-Wenham Regional High School Generals.
"13!" opened with a weekend of performances Aug. 9-11 and will continue with 7:30 p.m. shows Thursday and Friday, Aug. 16 and 17, and a 3 p.m. show Sunday, Aug. 18.
The next production for Stage 284 will be "Into the Woods" in November.
CAST LIST
Beverly resident Jake Bassinger, Evan; Essex resident Paige Mandia, Cheerleader 2; Lila Mulvey, Cheerleader, and Sofia Sarmanian, Molly; Gloucester residents Kelly Bates, Richie, and AJ Porcello, Eddie; Hamilton residents Sydney Amero, ensemble, Caroline Hopkins, Charlotte, Norah Keys, Cheerleader 4, Caroline Monahan, ensemble, and Ashley Smail, Cheerleader 3; Ipswich residents Timothy Kercher, Simon, and Olivia Parrott, Kendra; Manchester-by-the-Sea residents Lila Carpenter, ensemble, Luke Leavitt, ensemble, , Robert McLaughlin, Archie, Sylvie Oldeman, Lucy, Owen O'Leary, Brett, and Charlotte Weld, Cassie; Marblehead resident Julia Greenway, ensemble; Peabody resident Mara Stein, Patrice; and Wenham resident Hannah Donnellan-Doser, ensemble.