High School Musical
From the 12th to the 14th of November, St. Aidans’ students performed their take on Disney’s “High School Musical”. The show was directed by Born 2 Perform’s Gavin Quigley, choreographed by the incredible Paige Cunningham, and had Siobhan Maguire’s passionate and irreplaceable musical direction. We also had assistance from many of the most hard working teachers in the school, who took the time out of their evenings and weekends to make sure everything ran smoothly.
The process for this show began all the way back in June 2019, when the first auditions were held. Over that summer, roles were cast, and the rehearsal process began in August. The leads were casted by Siobhan Maguire and Gavin Quigley. The whole cast agrees that Gabriella Montez could not have been played better than by Oniosa Fitzsimons, and Hannah McPhillips was a flawless Sharpay Evans. The male lead, Troy Bolton was played naturally by St. Aidan’s resident “Male Lead” Oisin Lynch, and newcomer to musical theatre, Caolan Fitzsimons portrayed Ryan Evans particularly well.
Since the first day we received the script, it was abundantly clear that this show was going to take a lot of effort and help from all sides. We began to learn our lines, memorize our dances, plan a set, and form friendships with our cast. This show formed so many new bonds between members of cast and crew, and it was an incredible experience, even from the initial rehearsals.
In the months leading up to the show, work was tireless. Near-daily singing practices, weekly dance rehearsals, and not to mention all the backstage work being done. All of the students building sets, writing programs, designing and searching out costumes, building and seeking out props, and assisting teachers when things got too hectic were the backbone of this show. All of the background work that usually goes unnoticed was done so thoughtfully and professionally, and this show wouldn’t have looked so good if it wasn’t for them.
Yes, the work grew exhausting, but it was definitely worth it when we got to the actual show. We would like to thank everyone who came to see it, as the show was so fun to perform. All of our hard work really came to fruition on the show dates. Singing those songs and saying those lines truly felt different when we had such a great audience. Once we got our costumes on for the first time, everything felt so different. The show now may be over, but the friendships made over this show will last a lifetime- and we will never get those songs out of our heads.
St. Aidan’s Comprehensive recent production of “High School Musical” was the result of a great deal of hard work on the part of all involved. The cast was drawn from all year groups within the school and each member was very focused in preparing for their various roles.
The musical offered us a chance to harness the great musical talent we have in the school and to nurture new talents. Huge work has gone on behind the scenes over the last number of months and credit must be given to all staff members who rowed in right from day one to make this production the huge success it was. Such productions are only possible with the generosity of a staff that gives freely of their time and expertise in many different roles and areas.
The financial support for this production from our local community has been incredible. Without the generous advertisers, sponsors and donors, a show like this would not be possible.
The final word must go to the students – the budding stars of the show who really demonstrated maturity and commitment to the show. It was a joy to see many students, who barely mustered the courage to put themselves forward and audition, transform into confident young actors, singers and dancers! Those onstage were ably supported by their invisible peers who made it all work and flow seamlessly. It was a superb team effort – well done to all involved!
The process for this show began all the way back in June 2019, when the first auditions were held. Over that summer, roles were cast, and the rehearsal process began in August. The leads were casted by Siobhan Maguire and Gavin Quigley. The whole cast agrees that Gabriella Montez could not have been played better than by Oniosa Fitzsimons, and Hannah McPhillips was a flawless Sharpay Evans. The male lead, Troy Bolton was played naturally by St. Aidan’s resident “Male Lead” Oisin Lynch, and newcomer to musical theatre, Caolan Fitzsimons portrayed Ryan Evans particularly well.
Since the first day we received the script, it was abundantly clear that this show was going to take a lot of effort and help from all sides. We began to learn our lines, memorize our dances, plan a set, and form friendships with our cast. This show formed so many new bonds between members of cast and crew, and it was an incredible experience, even from the initial rehearsals.
In the months leading up to the show, work was tireless. Near-daily singing practices, weekly dance rehearsals, and not to mention all the backstage work being done. All of the students building sets, writing programs, designing and searching out costumes, building and seeking out props, and assisting teachers when things got too hectic were the backbone of this show. All of the background work that usually goes unnoticed was done so thoughtfully and professionally, and this show wouldn’t have looked so good if it wasn’t for them.
Yes, the work grew exhausting, but it was definitely worth it when we got to the actual show. We would like to thank everyone who came to see it, as the show was so fun to perform. All of our hard work really came to fruition on the show dates. Singing those songs and saying those lines truly felt different when we had such a great audience. Once we got our costumes on for the first time, everything felt so different. The show now may be over, but the friendships made over this show will last a lifetime- and we will never get those songs out of our heads.
St. Aidan’s Comprehensive recent production of “High School Musical” was the result of a great deal of hard work on the part of all involved. The cast was drawn from all year groups within the school and each member was very focused in preparing for their various roles.
The musical offered us a chance to harness the great musical talent we have in the school and to nurture new talents. Huge work has gone on behind the scenes over the last number of months and credit must be given to all staff members who rowed in right from day one to make this production the huge success it was. Such productions are only possible with the generosity of a staff that gives freely of their time and expertise in many different roles and areas.
The financial support for this production from our local community has been incredible. Without the generous advertisers, sponsors and donors, a show like this would not be possible.
The final word must go to the students – the budding stars of the show who really demonstrated maturity and commitment to the show. It was a joy to see many students, who barely mustered the courage to put themselves forward and audition, transform into confident young actors, singers and dancers! Those onstage were ably supported by their invisible peers who made it all work and flow seamlessly. It was a superb team effort – well done to all involved!