Rehearsals Going Well for Huntington High School Musical

Rehearsals for the Huntington High School drama club’s upcoming musical production of “Chicago: Teen Edition” are going well. The curtain will rise on Friday, March 22 at 7 p.m. and again on Saturday, March 23 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Senior citizens will be admitted free to the Saturday matinee.

Broadway’s longest-running American musical, “Chicago” is a dazzling and satirical look at fame, justice and the media machine. Set in the 1920’s, “Chicago: Teen Edition” is based on real-life murders and trials. It follows Roxie Hart, a wannabe vaudevillian star who murders her boyfriend and is arrested, despite her attempts to convince her pushover husband, Amos to lie for her.

“There’s greed, scandal, betrayal and a dash of razzle dazzle,” said Michael Schwendemann, Huntington’s drama club faculty advisor. “‘Chicago’ is one of the longest running American musicals in Broadway history.”

The cast consists of Josephine Sullivan (Velma Kelly), Jake Amend (Fred Casely), Sofia Rodriguez (Roxie Hart), Sam Soric (Amos Hart), Michael Mendikyan (Fogarty), Michaela Dopico (Liz), Emily Kustera (Annie), Alexandra Boeckmann (June), Kyra Scott (Hunyak), Landry Flynn (Mona), Liva Camarata (Matron “Mama” Morton), Jack Semelsberger (Billy Flynn), Lily Wasoski (Mary Sunshine), Izzy Cruz Ponce (Reporter 41), Lily Tierney (Kitty), William Berry (Harry), Michelle Mejia (Third Reporter 72), Alex Tine (Judge), DeAndre Simmons (Harrison), Izzy Gregorio (Clerk), Mason Gomez (Juror One), Deveren Flynn (Ensemble No. 1), Layna Abraham (Ensemble No. 2), Maggie O’Toole (Ensemble No. 3), Ariana James (Ensemble No. 4), Kayla Murillo (Ensemble No. 5), Samantha Koepele (Ensemble No. 6), Sena Knopf (Ensemble No. 7), Zaida Correal (Ensemble No. 8), Mia Molina (Ensemble No. 9), Walter Lopez (Ensemble No 10), Lyni Schirripa (Ensemble No. 11) and James Stensland (Ensemble No. 12).

The complete ensemble cast includes Layna Abraham, Kaylee Adams, Jasmine Adcock, Maya Ackerman, Jake Amend, William Berry, Alexandra Boeckmann, Zaida Correal, Izzy Cruz Ponce, Michael DiVencenzo, Lauren Dopico, Michaela Dopico, Deveren Flynn, Landry Flynn, Mason Gomez, Izzy Gregorio, Ariana James, Sena Knopf, Samantha Koepele, Emily Kustera, Water Lopez, Alexa Mazure, Michelle Mejia, Michael Mendikyan, Mia Molina, Kayla Murillo, Maggie O’Toole, Caleb Palermo, Toni Reyes-Sorto, Alexa Schirripa, Kyra Scott, DeAndre Simmons, James Stensland, Lily Tierney, Alex Tine, Sophia Tine, Angel Uceda-Enamorado and Lily Wasoski.

The dance captains are Ariana James and Kyra Scott. Dance rehearsals and general choreography is also going well. Musicians are also rehearsing and the stage crew has been diligently working alongside the actors.

Schwendemann expects everything to come together to make the show a memorable one for audiences.