By Mike Russo
As the school will be the first on the East Coast to put on the play at the high school level, one might already call the show a success.
Tickets for the show — which is being held Nov. 20-22 — are nearly sold out, and with the hype it is already receiving, the school will be looking to see if it can top last year’s sellout performance of
“Footloose.”
Gene Forman, the show’s director, said that putting the show together is difficult yet rewarding. He explained that a large part of the challenge is the set — comprised of many rooms and staircases — but he is very pleased with the work both the actors and stage crew have done so far. “I’m very happy with it,” said Forman of the show. “It’s coming right along.”
This is Forman’s third year directing at Baldwin High School, having already produced major hits such as “Footloose” and “Switching Principals.” Prior to directing, Forman supervised several other shows, including “Our Town,” “Moon Over Buffalo,” and “Damn Yankees.”
First directed by Mel Brooks in 1968, the play features Max Bialystock, a washed-up Broadway producer, and Leo Bloom, a timid CPA, as an odd-couple duo who aim to make a fortune off their supposedly sure-fire flop production of “Springtime for Hitler.”
In the Baldwin reenactment, Bialystock will be played by Sam Schoenberg, and Bloom by Jonathan Smith. Taryn Teurf will be playing the role of Ulla.
At last week’s Board of Education meeting, the actors performed the play’s hit song, “I want to be a producer,” for the school board, parents and students in attendance. Forman spoke highly of the actors during a brief speech he made at the meeting, but said there is much work still to be done. “We’re not ready yet,” he said. “But we’re close.”
Comments about this story? MRusso@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 283.
