Tricky tap dance routines, Broadway show tunes and expansive monologues are not usually in the repertoire of high school students. Since this year's musical involves all of these components, prospective cast members had to begin preparations for the difficult production as early as July.
Walt Whitman High School music teacher Chris Kosmaceski chose to make his high school directing debut with "42nd Street." He took over for last year's director, Molly Muffet, and will be accompanied by leading actors Nick Ehrlich, Mars Hanna, Gillian Horowitz, Michael Ladd, Katie McManus, Nour Mobarak and Michelle Scofield.
As Broadway's second-longest running musical in history, "42nd Street" features ballet and tap routines, and seven leading roles.
Though actors at the high school level usually lack the experience to perform this musical, Kosmaceski says the actors here are ready for the challenge. "I chose it because I think we would be able to perform it very well," he said. "Whitman has the means to handle it."
In order to prepare students for the intricate dance routines, Kosmaceski organized and led four summer tap workshops. Junior Kabir Altaf attended the summer sessions to gain experience with tap and prepare for the audition. "They had given me a basic familiarity with what we were supposed to do," he said. "I definitely had a better dance audition than I would have if I hadn't taken the classes."
Kosmaceski also invited Kennedy Center interns to give a seminar on auditioning Aug. 29. More than 60 students attended to hear four graduate students from the University of North Carolina lecture on topics such as choosing appropriate monologues and songs for an audition and dealing with rejection.
The interns offered helpful information on having a successful audition, junior Marissa Filderman said. "They had a Q&A session and then picked two audience members to read a monologue that they had not seen before and then gave them tips on how to improve their reading," she said.
Sophomore Becca Eskin, who also attended the seminar says the interns addressed many of the mistakes actors commonly make in auditions. "Some people tend to over-act and they seem really over the top, so the interns put a lot of emphasis on being natural, but at the same time trying to create a good impression," she said.
Altaf says having Kosmaceski direct the musical may make rehearsals run smoother. "He seems really organized," he said. "He blocked the entire show over the summer, so later when we are learning the songs and choreography, we will have a better idea of where on the stage we have to go."
Cast members also enjoy working with Kosmaceski because of his sense of humor, Eskin says. "He finds a good balance of having fun and being productive at rehearsals."
The cast will perform the show on Nov. 21, 22 and 23 at 7:30 p.m. in the auditorium. Students will have the opportunity to purchase tickets starting at the beginning of November.