Southern Lehigh High School 5800 Main Street Center Valley, PA 18034
NOVEMBER 2014
Volume 58 Issue 2
The Spotlight
In this
Issue:
The Halls of Solehi are Alive With The Sound of Music by Talia Trackim
Are you interested in saving energy? Find out about a new club on page 2.
Pennsylvania Keystones are now something you need to graduate. Turn to page 6 to get the full details.
Photo Credit: Christmas City Studios
Do you like good hair? Do you like good music? Check out Hozier’s new album on page 13.
Melody Portnoy and Michael Figler were crowned at homecoming. Read more about it on back page.
Want to see more?
Though I am not musically inclined myself, I can safely say that Southern Lehigh High School’s theater and instrumental students sure made “my heart come alive” with their production of “The Sound of Music.” The show ran from Wednesday, November 12th until Saturday, November 15th. “Throughout the week, as we got more comfortable in our roles, the shows got significantly better,” sophomore Giuliana Augello said. “Although there are certain things that went wrong at some points, such as certain set pieces being moved late, or props not making it onto the stage, the performances went very well.” “The Sound of Music” tells the tale of an Austrian postulate at Nonnberg Abbey named Maria Rainer, who, encouraged by the Mother Abbess, becomes the governess of the von Trapp family. The seven von Trapp children lead lives of obedience and discipline under their father Georg von Trapp, an Austro-Hungarian Navy submarine captain. Through her motherly compassion and enthusiasm, Maria finds a way to bring music and love back into the family. When World War II makes its brutal attack, Maria, Georg, and the von Trapp children tap into their bravery to flee Austria and escape the Nazis. “I think the story is heartwarming and inspiring, one everyone would love,” sophomore Lexi Brown said. Augello played the role of Maria von Trapp, while junior Chris Smith playing her lover, Georg Von Trapp, and Brown “climbed every mountain” as the Mother Abbess. Sophomore Lauren Jardine played Elsa Schrader and
junior Luke Simmons played Max Detweiler, accompanied by senior Octavia Fitz as Liesl von Trapp and senior Austin Piel as Rolf Gruber. “The thing I most enjoyed about the show was the cast,” sophomore Madeline Hoffert said. “I thought all the parts were casted nicely.” The cast delivered nothing short of excellence in terms of both singing and acting, with pieces such as Augello and Brown’s heart-warming rendition of “My Favorite Things” and the playful and cheerful number, “Do-Re-Mi” performed by Augello and the von Trapp children. The advanced and skillful opening number, “Preludium” sung entirely in Latin by the Nuns was equally mesmerizing and beautiful. “The vocals were done very well and added a great level of immersion in the performance,” senior Jake Stattel said. In addition to the talent presented on stage, the orchestra, which included high school students, added a whole new dimension of charm and sentiment to the production, proving that there’s always more to a show than meets the eye. “It was a little rocky getting all the different instruments to become a coherent unit,” sophomore Alexandra Curtis said, “but once we did that I think we performed very nicely.” The sets, the costumes, and the on and off stage action blended nicely to create an excellent fall musical.