Like sands through the hourglass, these are the days of
kids’ lives. And they’re busy! Get up in the morning. Get ready for school
(ugh!). Deal with tests and peer pressure (double-ugh!). Perhaps an
after-school job. Deal with parental units. Watch TV. Go to bed early, whether
there are monsters in the closet or not. And then do it all over again the next
day!
All of which inspired this latest original production, Everything
About a Day…Almost, by TADA! Youth Theatre in New York City, written by Emmanuel
Wilson with music and lyrics put together by more than a dozen others,
directed by Janine Nina Trevens. Some of the highlights include:
* Ten-year-old Logan Riley Bruner providing
melodramatic announcements by poking his head out of doors and windows in Peter
R. Feuchtwanger’s brightly colored, geometrically dazzling set.
* Brendan Eapen as a recycling entrepreneur in an After
School Job backed up amusingly by Casey Wenger-Schulman, Maya
Park, and Taylor Hogan.
* Saleema Josey as a hilarious mom who tells her poor
son (Merce Jessor) all about the delicious brownies she’s just made –
but don’t eat them or You’ll Ruin Your Appetite.
* The cast has the gossip machine in full swing with Oops,
Gotta Go!
* Chris Broughton and Jordan Samuels are shy
guys trying to find a place in the lunchroom to sit in A Place for Me,
fighting to force themselves to be social and resist the temptation to resign
themselves to sitting alone each day.
* Christina Franklin and Yurina Kutsukake are
eager to find a little Privacy in their New York City life, featuring
help from on high with Casey Wenger-Schulman, Natalia Amaya, and Saleema
Josey as three humorous, great-singing, angels.
* Anthony Sanchez and Katie Lerner Lee lead
the way in the snazziest of the numbers as a brother-and-sister pair who Stomp
It Out along with their quintet of fellow tappers with great style and
dancing.
* And young Jonathan Bach tries his best to fall
asleep despite the monster in his closet, with his frustrated father Brendan
Eapen not helping much as he amusingly teases his terrified son.
The production showcases many members of TADA!’s
talented ensemble who get extensive acting, signing, and dancing training
through the program, and the talent is apparent with their dynamic and humorous
performances as they make their way through the day.
Performed July 10 - August 2, 2008.
Rob Hopper
National Youth Theatre
~ Cast ~
Announcer Kid: Logan Riley Bruner
Nervous Kid: Sophie Silverstein
Time Kid: Jarena Lee
Nothing-To-Do Kids: Jacob Ross and Jordan Alston-Harmon
Anthony Sanchez
Austin Zambito-Valente
Brendan Eapen
Casey Wenger-Schulman
Chris Broughton
Christina Franklin
Danikha Catada
Donna Falzon
Gabriela Gross
Jonathan Bach
Jordan Samuels
Katie Lerner Lee
Maya Park
Merce Jessor
Natalia Amaya
Saleema Josey
Taylor Hogan
Taylor Jones
Yurina Kutsukake
Director: Janine Nina Trevens
Choreographer: Joanna Greer
Musical Director: Jim Colleran
Set Designer: Peter R. Feuchtwanger
Costume Designer: Mark Richard Caswell
Lighting Designer: Kirk Bookman
Assistant Choreographer: Joie Golomb
Production Stage Manager: Mary Beth Ward
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