After closing out last year with a popular production of the musical “In the Heights,” Monsignor Edward Pace High School’s Drama students were puzzled when they found out that their Winter 2015 production would be the 1943 musical “Oklahoma!”
When asked why she chose a country-themed romantic comedy set in 1903, Pace’s Drama teacher Christina Pla-Guzman said that it was not only because the play is considered to have ushered in the Golden Age of musicals, but she also wanted to get as far as possible from the urban, more modern setting of “In the Heights” and challenge her students.
Senior Malik Mackey, who played Will Parker in the production, agreed that the show was a challenge in comparison to previous productions. “We had to put on accents and make characters from 1903 seem real,” said Mackey.
Over time, the students stepped into the shoes of their characters and enjoyed the production. After a special morning performance for middle school students from Our Lady of the Lakes and Holy Cross Lutheran Christian Day School, the play had its first public performance inside the Pace Spartan Center on January 28, with two more performances on January 29 and 30.
After the last performance which took place in front of over 500 people, Pla-Guzman presented each of the graduating seniors with a rose to congratulate them on what would be their penultimate production at Pace.
Pace Drama will be holding its annual Gala, Night of Theatre on February 20 at 7 p.m. in the Spartan Center, where Drama students will perform their award-winning pieces that they will be taking to State competitions in late March. After that, the group will continue working on its spring musical production of “Hairspray,” which will have public performances on April 21, 22, and 23.