By Carolyn Fante
On Friday and Saturday, the Huntington High School Drama club will present “Crazy For You,” a musical featuring songs by George and Ira Gershwin.
Under the direction of Mr. Schwendemann, an English and Theatre Arts teacher at the high school, the cast has been rehearsing the musical since January. Along with the school’s pit orchestra and the stage crew, they are rehearsing like crazy this week, staying late every night to get the show ready.
“Crazy For You” is the story of Bobby Child (played by Jonah Kramer) who comes to a very dull and lifeless mining town (Deadrock, Nevada), with the intention of shutting down their theatre. There, he meets and falls in love with Polly Baker (Mary-Liz O’ Neill), who hates him for trying to close the theatre. Bobby disguises himself and Polly falls in love with him in disguise. In disguise he tries to get Polly to fall in love with Bobby. Finally they are able to save the theatre and Polly and Bobby fall in love.
One of the cast members called the play “corny in a good way.” Included in the musical are many of Gershwin’s songs, including I’ve Got Rhythm, Embraceable You, and Someone to Watch Over Me, plus many others.
This is one of the largest musicals the school has ever produced. Tension and nerves are high as the performance draws nearer --Friday at 8, and Saturday at 2 and 8. The most recent performance this year, Arsenic and Old Lace, was great, and everyone in the cast is eager to make this play a success as well.
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Rehearsal, in photo above, for "Crazy For You" at Huntington High School