Introduction
Waltham High School’s Theatre Department is comparable to no other and once again had a successful year of shows. And this year we have to say goodbye to the Theatre as we move to the new high school. However, this year was yet another major success for the Theatre Department.
Almost Maine
Starting the year off strong, WHS Theatre Department presented this year’s play, Almost Maine. The play took to the stage on Wednesday October 25th with a matinee and evening show and October 26th with an evening performance. Almost Maine told the story of a town called Almost, Maine where people experience the power of the human heart through a series of ten minute long scenes.
“I was very pleased with Almost Maine,” said director Ms. Sheila Ponte. “I thought the acting was pretty high level for high school. I was impressed with them, impressed with what I could get out of them and how much work they put into it. These were ten minute scenes, I don’t think I ever did a ten minute scene in high school. To sustain the energy and keep the energy up, it was impressive.”
This play was also a change from last years and Ponte wanted this show to be a change for the actors, “Last year I directed Our Town which was an older, classic play. So this year I did a contemporary play that was written in 2004. So I think, if I’m going to direct next year, I would want to do something from the mid 20th century so the actors get another feel.”
Almost Maine was a success in the end and a great first show for this years freshman.
Senior Revue
This year we sadly have to say goodbye to our seniors, but they aren’t leaving without a bang, because this year’s Senior Revue was a show like no other.
Senior Revue has been a Waltham High School tradition since 1968. It is a show with skits, song and dance numbers, and vocal solos. This show fully consists of a cast of seniors and the skits are written by the seniors. This year’s senior trip was to Italy so many of the skits and songs were based off of Italy. It took to the stage on November 15th with an in school show and matinee, and November 16th and 17th with evening shows.
“It blends all the different cliques of the high school,” said WHS teacher and Senior Revue choreographer and director Ms. Deborah Finnell. “You got all these different unique kids that forge these friendships during the show that breaks the bonds of the cliques these kids are in.”
And one of the best things about Senior Revue is that it helps the senior class. The money from the show helps pay for many senior activities. “We raised good money this year. We were able to help support senior dinner, scholarships, and yearbooks,” said Finnell. “We got to support the kids that were in the show. Not only the people on stage, the crew and the people in the pit too. And I think that’s just amazing.”
It is amazing and Senior Revue is a beautiful send off for the senior class. Sadly we have to say goodbye to our seniors, but this show reminds us that they will always be here, in our hearts, and they will never be far away.
Dance Theatre
This year was also another successful year of Dance Theatre at WHS. Ms. Finnell created this dance show 39 years ago and has been producing it ever since. It took to the stage on February 7 with a matinee, and February 8th and 9th with evening shows. DT also performed two in-school shows for the 8th graders from McDevitt and Kennedy.
“I had just come to the high school and I had the opportunity to invent and pioneer a dance curriculum. But I also begged for a dance event. It was the start of the 80’s and it was ‘the Pepsi generation’, all the TV commercials were starting to have songs and dance,” Finnell said. “I wanted a dance show because that generation, music was their voice. It started as a one performance show but then grew. By the third year, hundreds of kids were coming to auditions and we had multiple performances. And now we have so many kids that I need to make cuts. It’s truly amazing.”
Ms. Finnell also loves dance theater because it gets to be performed to the middle schoolers, our upcoming freshman. “We do it for the 8th grade, the incoming kids to the high school, so they can see high school can be fun.” said Finnell. “You go to school, you think it’s such a big scary place, but you can actually meet kids and have fun.”
This year Ms. Finnell also noticed that Dance Theatre has really recovered from the pandemic. “In 2022 and 2023 we were told to have smaller casts. Kids had to keep on the masks, they couldn’t breathe, we couldn’t see them smile,” Finnell said. “This year I finally feel like we are back to normal. I feel like this year we were the most like we used to be before covid.”
In conclusion, this was another amazing and successful year of Dance Theatre and we’re all excited for the 40th year of Dance Theatre.
Show Choir
The WHS show choir has two divisions: Music Unlimited (MU), our mixed group, and Music Express (ME), our all girls group. And both crushed this year’s competition season.
Music Unlimited told the story of freeing yourself and others from the expectations that hold us back from our most authentic selves and encouraged everyone to express yourself and not care about what everyone else thinks.
Music Express explored the journey of independence, told the story of finding your inner voice, and encouraged everyone to take control of your life and don’t let anything or anyone hold you back.
For a summary of WHS’s 2024 show choir season click here: 2024 show choir season summary
To learn more about show choir click here: https://talontribune.com/2436/arts-entertainment/what-is-show-choir/
Show Choir Director Mr. Thomas Cincotta is sad that the year is over, but excited for the future of show choir. “It is always bittersweet when the year ends. It’s always nice to take a break, but I will miss all of my students so much, especially the seniors,” said Cincotta. “This was an awesome senior class and they will be missed a lot! I am so grateful for the amazing memories we all made together this year and can’t wait to see what next year brings for our performing groups.”
Cincotta also said that this year was a great year for WHS theater in general, and that the show choir developed many team working skills and friendships this year. “This was an extremely successful year for the theater department. There were so many awesome, high quality shows that took place throughout the year. From the spring play, Senior Revue, DT, choir concerts, show choir competitions and performances, the musical, and more. It was all a blast,” Cincotta said. “Students learned so much not only about performing, but how to work as a team to accomplish these expressive forms of art together.”
Both show choir groups were amazing this year and congratulations to all the people who made it into the show choir for next year!
Grease
Ending this year on a high note, Grease is the word! This year’s musical Grease was a hit and another success of a production from the theatre department.
Grease hit the stage with a matinee on April 24th and evening shows on April 25th and April 26th. It told the story of a group of high schoolers in the 1950’s and the romance between the new girl in town Sandy Dumbrowski and the leader of the school’s greaser gang, Danny Zuko.
The cast and crew did a great job and put on amazing performances. And in addition to the amazing show, there was an adorable intermission costume contest where kids dressed up in their best 1950s attire. Who doesn’t love that?
“I would say it was a hugely successful year, we had such a great musical,” said WHS teacher and director of Grease, Ms. Jesse Bastarache. “Even just in terms of ticket sales, we had really large houses and large audiences which was awesome to see.”
Preparing for Grease was no small task as there were countless jobs that needed to be done to prepare for the show. The cast spent weeks rehearsing and perfecting their show. Technical director Lori Baruch along with the students in Ms. Bastarache’s stagecraft class and many crew members spent plenty of time building and constructing a set and making sure every technical aspect ran smoothly. And Ms. Bastarache spent many late nights preparing for the big show.
“I had so much fun with Grease, so even though I was relieved that everything went well and it was done, I’m really sad and I really do miss it,” Bastarache said. “I’m still not ready for it to be over and I miss everyone. We had such a good group of people. So I feel a bit sad but also proud.”
Saying goodbye to The Theatre
This year was a bittersweet year for the WHS theatre department, however, because this year we say goodbye to the theatre. As we move into the new high school next year, we are going to have to leave a lot of things behind including our theatre. But, the future can only take WHS theatre down an even better route and we wish for the best on this new chapter for the theatre department.
This change is sad for many people, but it also brings new hope and excitement. “I am so excited for the new high school and theater!” said Cincotta. “Of course things will be different and there will be an adjustment period, but a brand new facility is so exciting. I can’t wait to see all of the amazing shows in this new state of the art space.”
“I haven’t quite processed it yet. It’s so strange because I went to school here. I’ve been performing on this stage since I was old enough to walk. I’ve done Reagle players here. I’ve done high school shows here, and now I’m back here directing and choreographing and teaching,” says Bastarache. “Not to mention this is my classroom, so I’m on this stage every day. So it’s very strange and I don’t think I’m going to process it until we’re not here.”
“It’s a little sad for me because I must have spent thousands and thousands of hours in that place,” said Ponte, “I haven’t seen the new theatre, but I’m kinda excited.”
“It makes me so sad. I’m trying not to think about it too much because if I think about it too much I might start to bawl,” said Finnell. “I also went to high school here, I’ve spent so much time here, and had so many precious memories here. When the other shows were still going, I didn’t feel as sad, but now that everything’s ending, it makes me sad to leave this place.”
However, this new chapter also brings some worries and concerns. Many people are worried this new chapter will be too challenging or difficult. “I’m excited about a new space. However, I’m also nervous that it’s not as functional as our stage is here,” said Bastarache. “I know there’s going to be a lot of hurdles even though it’s a brand new beautiful space. But I definitely have mixed emotions.”
“Some things might still be done here, if there’s a conflict for example maybe one show is here and the other is up there. I believe we have to try over there first before we worry too much,” said Finnell. “But if a show like Senior Revue goes up and it goes smoothly, I believe we will be fine. It’s just the challenge of learning a new system, a new everything. But I know the last time I walk out of this building, and shut the door, I know I may come back, but I will bawl.”
“I’m excited, if I get to do the play up at the new high school, for the challenge of learning all the systems and the theatre itself,” Ponte said. “So I think for everybody the change is going to be really big and pretty exciting.”
However the new theatre turns out, the theatre department will overcome the challenges and the hurdles and produce more amazing shows. The future looks bright.
Conclusion
Safe to say this year was another successful year for Waltham High School’s Theatre Department. And next year will only be better! Go hawks!
