By Andrew Hackmack
Brothers Greg and Danny, plus a group of more than a dozen friends, have putting on backyard drama performances since 2004 but the tradition may be ending as much of the cast will be heading off to college next year.
This year's production was "Anything Goes" and performances were held last Thursday and Friday evenings at the Ferro's Alliance Street home. Greg, entering his sophomore year at Penn State, directed the play and said it was bittersweet.
"Last night it was kind of sad to wrap up our last rehearsal," he said prior to the Thursday show. "But it's been five fun years."
Greg said that they carried over the same cast members from last year, many of whom have participated in all five shows. He explained that he and his brother pick a show based on how well it will fit the cast. "Anything Goes" seemed just right, he said, and that way they could go out with a bang. "We wanted to end off on a funny, positive note," he said.
Danny Ferro, who will be entering his senior year of high school, said it hasn't hit him yet that this may have been the last show. Playing the character of Billy Crocker, he said everything came together nicely in the week leading up the production.
He didn't announce the play selection to his friends until May, but said the anticipation builds months before. "It's the question that keeps coming up -- 'What's the next play?'" he said.
And Danny also decides who will play what characters. "There's no auditions," said Kelly Miller, who has participated all five years and played Reno Sweeney in this show. "He casts it for us. He knows what we can do."
Rehearsals began in late June and cast and crew members were at the house three or four times a week, two or three hours a day. "It's a lot of work, but it's worth it," Greg Ferro said.
All money raised is donated to the St. Jude's Children's Hospital. This year they collected $1,020.
Hannah DeLeon, who played Bonnie, is a five-year veteran of the Ferro's backyard productions and will also be entering her senior year of high school. "We spend our entire summers here," she said.
Miller said working on these plays have made for five fabulous summers. They have become like a family and they all work to help each other out. "It's a total group effort," she said. "No one takes anything personally."
Nick Englese said it has been a special five years for him, too. The experience each year, he explained, makes them better for the next. "The great part about it is how we all grew up together," he said, "and we saw how much better we got. I think we were more prepared this year than any other year."
His mother, June, noted how much these plays mean to the cast members. "They have a great time," she said. "They always had something to do over the summer. It's a good thing."
She said she thinks they may do one more play next summer, but if not, it has been a great experience for the kids. "The Ferros open up their house every summer," she said. "Not many people would do that."
Photos by Andrew Hackmack/Herald
