AHNCAN’TSTOPTHEBEAT
February 27-28, more than 1,100 people filled the Brady Center
during three showings of the High School Fine Arts Department
production of “Hairspray.” The whole process, however, began
sevenmonths prior, when 130 Academy and Jesuit students in
grades 9-12 auditioned during a four-day period. After callbacks,
84 singers, dancers, actors and stagehands were cast in the
productionand immediatelybeganweeklySundaypractices.
Many students didn’t anticipate such an intensive preparation
process, but it was something from which they learned and
enjoyed!ElizabethDolan (A’17),whowascastasPennyPingleton,
spokehighlyof theHairspray experience, “I lovedgetting into the
character. Penny is the complete opposite of how I am, so it was
fun tobecome someonenew. I also lovedbeing able tomake the
audience laugh. Itwasagreatexperienceand taughtmehow tobe
moreconfident inmyabilities.”
High school performing arts teacher Vivian Kimbler was pleased
with the performances and thought each one improved as the
studentsbecamemorecomfortable, sincemost studentshadnot
been involved in a production of thismagnitude before. Kimbler
was impressedwith theircan-doattitudes, respectfulbehaviorand
interest in theplay.
Students loved getting to know Kimbler and working with her
duringher first year as thehighschool performingarts instructor.
AlejandraPazzi (A’17) playedTracyTurnbladandsaidsheand the
other students respondedwell toKimbler’s positive energy. “You
could tell thatshereallycaredaboutyouand tried tomakeyou look
good. If somethingwasn’tworkingout, she’d tell you tochange it,
but itwasonlybecauseshewantedeveryone in theplay tobe the
best they couldbe.”Kimbler has already chosen “ByeByeBirdie”
as the production for spring 2016, andmade a personal goal to
have100percent participation from thesenior class.
Thoughnextyear’sproductionof“ByeByeBirdie”willremain inthe
BradyCenter,Kimbler isalready looking forward to thecompletion
of AHN’s Center for the Arts, scheduled for spring 2017. She
expressed the importance for the FineArtsDepartment tohave a
venue tocall itsown.“There’saspecialpresence thatcomeswitha
beautiful center—thepride thesekidswill feel, that it’s true theater.
There’s a newmovement here, culturally. The arts are important
andwehave tostart showinga track for our students. If I canget
these kids interested at the freshman and sophomore level, then
I’vedonemy job.”
Toseeavideoof “Hairspray”highlights, visit
holynamestpa.org/alumni/accord-extras.
V
SAVETHEDATE -Seepage47 for details!
21
20
SUMMER 2015
articleby
KaraManelli
ARTS
