www.eastside-online.org
Vol. 51 No. 6
Cherry Hill High School East: 1750 Kresson Road, Cherry Hill, NJ 08003
March 2018
Child actors horse around in “The Music Man”
play,’ and I was like, ‘I can do that,’” said Heljenek. “I’m an equestrian, I Eastside News/Features Editor ride, I know people. I can do that.” When it comes to unconventional Heljenek revealed that the origiactors, this year’s spring musical, nal horse that she recommended for “The Music Man,” was certainly not the role, Jett, didn’t make the final kidding around. cut due to a lack of insurance covWhile the cast list mainly conerage. After this complication, Jake sisted of typical East students in came to mind. grades nine through twelve “It was a very big process,” said who have continuously lit up Heljenek. “But it all worked out the East stage, 18 child actors perfectly.” from throughout the CherHeljenek knew Jake and his ry Hill community and a owner, an animal behavSouth Jersey horse iorist named Crystal were featured as Perkins Harms, from well. the barn that she “There’s nothcommonly rode ing about this at in Medford. year that’s differHarms was willent than any other ing to help Heljenyear. I didn’t wake ek obtain the perup one morning fect horse for “The and think, ‘I want Music Man” and to put kids in the happily let her show,’” said direcpresent Jake to tor Mr. Thomas Weaver, though Weaver. “But evHeljenek and ery show requires her father had a certain type of the responsibility character… and of finding a trailer this show just refor the gigantic quires kids. It’s horse. the way it’s writ“[Harms] is ten.” a really nice Ojasvita Reddy (‘21)/ For Eastside person,” In “The Music said Man,” characters In preparation for opening night, the kids develop chemistry with their “family units.” Heljenek. “She such as Amaryl[was] at the play lis and Winthrop to make sure evwere played by local children beand little kids. When you look at stage much more believable. erything [worked] out… She’s been tween the ages of nine and eleven. it from an audience’s point of view Though Jake’s role in “The Music really helpful.” These two characters were douand you can see that diversity in Man” was rather simple, his jourThough the journey was not ble-cast, meaning that two actors age, the families look that much ney to the East stage was anything easy, Heljenek and Weaver’s efforts played each lead role, with fourteen more realistic.” but that. to bring atypical actors to the East single-cast ensemble characters Because no students at the high “We didn’t choose the horse as stage paid off. Both were confident playing their same role for every school level could portray the child much as the horse chose us,” saidthat, though the roles may not be show. roles in the way they were intendWeaver. leads, Jake and the 18 children In past years, Weaver explained, ed, Weaver looked beyond the brick Kaleigh Heljenek (‘21), a student brought a new dimension to the cast he and his co-director, Mr. Pete walls of Cherry Hill East and adequestrian taking Weaver’s play that the audience had yet to see and Gambino, have been able to cast a vertised this acting opportunity to production class, was eager to pitch were grateful for the opportunity to freshman or sophomore who looks children throughout the rest of the in to make the play the best it could be involved in the experience. young enough to successfully take district. be. “I’m so happy I got to be a part on the role of a child, but there simChildren who were interested “I was in play production class of [having Jake in the show],” said ply weren’t any East students aucould come to East to go through a one day and Mr. Weaver [told Heljenek. I feel lucky that I got to ditioning this year who f i t fun yet thorough audition process us] ‘We want a live horse in our contribute to this and see it unfold.” that lasted around two hours. The auditions sampled the singing and dancing abilities of about ■ By Ali Koenig (‘20)
this description. Whenever possible throughout the casting process, Weaver will give a role to an East student over an actor from outside of the school. “The show has what we call family units,” said Weaver, describing the role of the children. “In order to complete a family unit, you have a mother, father, teenage children
55 hopeful actors and were very similar to the audition process that East students go through. These eighteen children were not the only non-East actors making their debuts: the stage welcomed a horse named Jake to pull the Wells Fargo wagon in a single scene. Weaver explained that while having a live horse was not absolutely essential to the plot, it — like the “fami l y units” — made everything that the audience saw on the
Ojasvita Reddy (‘21)/ For Eastside
East students collaborate in rehearsal with young actors.
Inside This Issue
Holiday Squad Enjoys a Turkey Lunch in A-Wing News/Features, Pg. 3
Infographic by Ali Koenig (‘20)/ Eastside News/Features Editor
CHPD Works Closely with K-9s Community, Pg. 6
The Cougars Prepare for a New Season Sports, Pg. 19