Weehawken students from seventh through twelfth grades filled the high school’s auditorium with the excited murmur of practiced lines both musical and spoken. Yonkers resident and Inside Broadway teaching artist Braddon Mehrten, the play’s director for the ninth year running, danced across the stage shouting “Billow, billow!” as students waved silver sheets and spun an eight-foot replica of the Weehawken water tower around the stage.
The students were rehearsing the famous tornado scene from the musical “The Wiz,” but rather than a Kansas house dropping on the Wicked Witch of the West, in this version it’s the water tower that does her in.
“I’ve always had a great experience with this school,” Mehrten said. “They truly support the arts and they create money where it doesn’t exist anymore.”
After 9-11 took New York City’s twin towers down, the school received a federal grant in order to bring arts into the communities affected by the disaster, the high school’s Assistant Principal Steven Spinosa explained. Part of that grant helped boost the theatre department.
“The kids used to pass one microphone around as they read each line, and now they’ve gone wireless,” Spinosa said. “[Principal] Dr. [Peter] Olivieri has essentially given us carte blanche to make the show bigger and better every year.”
Last year during a production of Cinderella, Spinosa continued, the “wow factor” came in the form of a tricked-out pumpkin coach. “And this year,” he added, “well, I can’t ruin it for you now can I?”
“Theatre changes lives,” Mehrten added. “We don’t have time to teach everyone how to sing and dance perfectly, but we do have the time to teach students how to be good people. We’re a family here.”
“Theatre changes lives.” – Braddon Mehrten
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Fond farewells
While the student actors range in age, a significant portion of the lead roles went to seniors, as is often the case.
“This show really hits home for us,” 17-year-old Aicha Ndiaye said, who plays the role of Dorothy. “We’re all going to college next year, so like my character, I’ll be out in a new world, have to grow up, and leave all my friends behind.”
It’s a Weehawken theatre tradition that the senior performers take a special bow at the conclusion of the show, senior Alexa Torres said. She plays the Cowardly Lion, and at first she had a hard time relating to her role, but eventually discovered how she fit in to it.
“Courage is within you,” she said. “It’s all kind of surreal. It went by so fast, and I can’t believe this year it will be me taking my senior bow.”
Senior Kari Vetter – a.k.a Glenda the Good Witch – said “I remember watching them and feeling so far away from that time,” she said. “Now it’s the complete reverse, and it’s weird because I look at the younger kids and say to myself, ‘I was there once too.’”
Sasha Lopez plays Aunt Em, and her role as Dorothy’s aunt mirrors the dynamic of her friendship with Ndiaye. “We’re best friends, and I’ve often been a nurturer for her,” Lopez said. “It’s so nice that in our senior year we can share this together.”
The play’s student director of three years Veronica Garcia, also a senior, enjoys bringing students of all ages together. “Sometimes it’s overwhelming,” she said. “The maturity level of a seventh grader is far different than that of a senior, but in the end it all pays off when everyone takes their bows.”
Fresh faces
Not all of the play’s leading roles went to the upper classmen. Aicha’s sister and sophomore Faton Ndiaye plays Addaperle, the Good Witch of the North. Faton has watched her sister perform over the years.
“It was so awesome to see her being what she is, which is amazing,” she said. Faton feels a real connection to the character, who is considered to be a bit crazy.
“I have my moments of professionalism and calm,” Faton explained, “but when I’m around my friends I can be outgoing and crazy, too.”
Eighth grader Jerry Tejada seemed to have no problem working with co-stars several years his senior as he wore his Tin-Man costume with a silver breastplate that was patterned with around 20 squares.
“First of all,” he said pointing to the breastplate, “I’d like to point out that I do have a 24-pack. I think. You just stop counting after 10.”
As he switched into more serious contemplation of why he enjoys playing the role of the Tin Man, he said, “I feel the role allows the actor the most room for improvement and to do what he thinks is best for the character.”
Scarecrow and sophomore Christopher Munguia has wanted to be an actor since he was four and saw the movie “The Titanic” starring Leonardo DiCaprio, who inspired his career choice.
Munguia has every plan to pursue an acting career after graduation. “One day I want to be on the big screen and my dream is to win an Oscar nomination,” he said. “Small town, big dreams.”
Weehawken High School’s production of “The Wiz” will take place on March 30 and 31 at 7:30 p.m. at the Weehawken High School auditorium. Tickets cost $5.
Gennarose Pope may be reached at gpope@hudsonreporter.com.