25
s
t en
c
March 4, 2016
Serving the mid valley & upper lackawanna valley
Magical Romance
ON THE INSIDE
Valley View presents ‘Beauty and the Beast’
Around Town
The lastest happenings in our area Page 2
School News
What’s going on with your favorite student Page 7
Bowling Scores
See who the top players were this week Page 18
CONTAGIOUS
SMILE HEALTHY TE TEETH NE
PATIEW WELC NTS OME M ost Insu Accepterances d.
Dr. Anthony
MAIN STREET, ARCHBALD • 570-876-6722 DECARLIDENTISTRY.COM
thevalleyadvantage.com
by Christopher Cornell ADVANTAGE EDITOR
It may be a “tale as old as time,” but it took the modern-day wizardry of Disney to make it an instant-classic animated film and then turn that story into a hit Broadway musical. This weekend, Valley View Performing Arts will present Disney’s Beauty and the Beast Friday and Saturday, March 4 and 5, at 7 p.m. and Sunday, March 6, at 2 p.m. in the high school auditorium, 1 Columbus Drive in Archbald. The show features music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Howard Ashman and Tim Rice. The 1991 film was adapted from the French fairy tale by Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont. It ran on Broadway for 5,461 performances between 1994 and 2007, becoming Broadway’s ninth-longest-running production. More than 100 students are involved in this year’s production, serving as cast, crew and orchestra members. It is produced and codirected by Gina Lupini and co-directed by Nick Lazor, who also serves as choreographer. “Our musical is the true meaning of production,” Lupini said. “The students take it seriously and prepare diligently for three solid performances. They construct and paint the sets, and rehearse solidly for three months. Nick Lazor and I could not be more proud of them.” Lupini said a particular musical is chosen “not only to entertain our audience but most importantly, we choose a musical that serves as a teaching tool for all involved. We don’t have a drama course but the skills learns during the rehearsal process are invaluable. In addition, we try to choose a musical that will meet the needs of our students. The personnel and the chemistry change each year. Last year we had an incredible amount of strong solo singers and although quite a few graduated, our underclassmen were ready to step up and take on leadership roles, not only on the stage but also serving as mentors for our younger and new participants. Some of the roles, such as Lumiere (Eric Lee), Cogsworth (Josh Rudolph), Mrs. Potts (Cas Dumas), Chip (Noah McKane), Babette
TS_CNG/ADVANTAGE/PAGES [A01] | 03/03/16
09:44 | CORNELLCHR
From left: Samantha Humen, Kara Hirjak, Kasidy Leggin, Kevin Mellow, Emily Temple, Julia Romanovich and Paige Seeley.
(Diane Piccolino), Madame De La Grand Bouche Elizabeth Simmons), are demanding because of the large amount of lines/music/ choreography to be learned. “When it is coupled with costumes, it presents an extra challenge for movement and scene changes,” Lupni said. The drama and choreography is done by Nick Lazor, who joined the Valley View team when the school did West Side Story and has remained a part of the productions since. “We are fortunate that he shares his knowledge and expertise with our students,” she said. She also sings the praises of the students toiling backstage. “I’m often told that what goes on backstage should be recorded because it is a production
in itself,” she said. “The camaraderie, cooperation and seamless movement from scene to scene would amaze anyone. Our sound/lighting/tech crews, supervised by Ken Rupp, are exceptional. Our 22-member stage crew, supervised by Joe Joyce, is second to none.” The show has four seniors who have been in the shows since their freshmen year: Hali Bargella, Ryan McGinty, Paige Seeley and Yesenia Soden. Roger Sparks, who plays Beast, has participated in numerous community theater productions but this is the first time he is taking the stage at Valley View. “I believe what makes our production so special,” Lupini noted, “is the bond the students share during, and long after, the last curtain closes. “ Tickets are $10; $8 for students.