By John C. O'Connell
Holy Name of Mary School stages Sound of Music
The sound of music brightens any evening, but nothing lights up a heart more happily than the sound of children singing, their high voices raised in pure joy.
Such were the giddy sounds of laughter and nervousness, melody and poise, as grades one through eight at Holy Name of Mary School in Valley Stream performed the Sound of Music last weekend.
Hundreds of parents and loved ones, many with cameras and all with pride, filled the school gymnasium to see an all-school cast sing their spirits out.
Directed by teacher Eileen McEnaney, the cast included children from every grade. Major roles were performed by Michele Viani (Maria) and Kyle Mullins (the Captain). The Von Trapp children were played by seventh- and eighth-graders Laura Darcy, Kevin Roopnarine, Stephanie Schiano, John Kassebaum, Christina Clarke, Julie Schramm and third-grader Meghan Lombardo.
The abbess was played by Alexandra Desbas, and sisters were played by Alisha Stephen, Marissa Hercules and Heather Simek.
Other prominent roles were played by Kevin Petry, Jaci Dougherty, Sean Burns, Elise Baumann, Joseph Zaccoli, Jenna Zaremba, Noel Vargas, Christine Heinimann, Joseph Foarile, Lawrence Kopsick, Bryan Berger, Gerard Lange and Kevin Burns.
The sixth- and seventh-grade community of nuns, the fifth-grade puppeteers, the second- grade puppets, the fourth- and sixth-grade bells, the fourth-grade choir and dancers, the sixth- grade waltzers and soldiers, the third-grade children's chorus, the first-grade do-re-mi singers, the festival contestants, the stage crew, the ticket assistants, program cover designer and typist, the accompanist and rehearsals manager, all did a wonderful job, on stage and off.
The children, individually and as a group, were applauded by Sister Elizabeth, the school's principal. The entire gym of parents agreed that the gymnasium was alive for an evening with the sound not just of music but of joy.
