Since the 1980s, Weston High School’s theater club, “Company” has wowed audiences with both classic and contemporary shows, dramas and musicals. Emmanuel Church in Weston will host its fourth, annual “Broadway Bound: A Tribute to WHS Company.” This year’s edition will feature the cast from Company’s spring musical, The Addams Family, preceded by a short program by the Faculty of Weston Music Center. The event will take place on Sunday, February 24 in the Emmanuel Church parish hall, 285 Lyons Plain Rd., Weston, from 4:00 - 5:30 pm. It's a family-friendly outing with door prizes and a bake sale. Admission is free and the community at large is invited to attend. Donations are welcome.
The Faculty of Weston Music Center will kick off the afternoon with performances by Allen and Genevieve Brings, Adam Grabois, Margarita Nuller, Steve Lewis, and Wei Tan. Allen Brings, Professor Emeritus at Queens College, is both a composer and pianist, and the Vice President of Connecticut Composers, Inc. Genevieve Chinn Brings is also a pianist, who debuted at age 8 with Leopold Stokowski and the NBC Symphony; she has been cited as an Outstanding Connecticut Woman of the Year. Adam Grabois is the cellist of the New York Chamber Soloists and both teaches and performs at Kinhaven Music School. Margarita Nuller is a pianist and graduate of St. Petersburg Conservatory, Russia. She has performed extensively as a soloist and chamber musician in the New York area and maintains a private studio in Fairfield, CT. Steve Lewis is a Carnegie Melon graduate who also studied piano and conducting at Conservatoire Americaine in France. He taught keyboard and electronic music at West Rocks Middle School in Norwalk for 37 years and has been Emmanuel’s Director of Music since 1978. Wei Tan began her violin studies at age three in Shanghai, and holds Bachelors and Masters degrees in Music from the Manhattan School of Music. She is an award-winner, co-founder, and Director of the New York International Artists Association.
The group’s selections for “Broadway Bound” include Five Waltzes by Brahms, Minstrel’s Song by Glazunov, songs by George Gershwin, and Cello Sonata in C major by Prokofiev.
WHS Company will perform scenes from the musical comedy, The Addams Family. The play incorporates music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa, based on the book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice. The characters created by Charles Addams represent an American family with an affinity for all things dark.
“WHS Company is both thrilled to be recognized by the community and grateful to Emmanuel Church for bringing back ‘Broadway Bound.’ We look forward to sharing a stage excerpt of The Addams Family, while promoting the arts at large,” said Liz Morris, Director.
Cast members include: Ben Rose (Gomez Addams), Sophie Lang (Morticia Addams), Remy Young (Wednesday Addams Thurs., Sat.) and Momo Burns-Min (Fri., Sun.), Josh Ronai (Fester Addams), Will Berger (Lucas Beineke), Lucas Casellas (Pugsley Addams) Jane Burdett (Alice Beinek Thurs., Sat.) and Erin Dillon (Fri., Sun.), Garrett Landen (Mal Beineke), Julia Lawless (Grandma), Andrew Pappas (Lurch), Jonathan Eiler (Gomez Addams Understudy), Jennifer Purcell (Morticia Addams Understudy), Patrick Betsworth (Lurch Understudy; Conquistador Ancestor), Hannah Chayet (Bride Ancestor), Arcadia Kittlesen (Cavewoman Ancestor), Jennifer Purcell, Brooklyn Boehme, Lauren Lakra, Lianna Accettullo (Flapper Ancestors), Audrey Mbwa-Mboma, Erin Dillon (Thurs., Sat.), Jane Burdett (Fri., Sun.) (Flight Attendant Ancestors, Jonathan Eiler (Groom Ancestor), Evelyn Miano, Mackenzie Lehman, Chris Burns (Puritan Ancestors), Abby Glasberg, Maddy Kovel (Saloon Girl Ancestors), Marc Lubliner (Soldier Ancestor), Zaina Dove, Peri Ferdinand, Samantha Meir, Charlotte Relac, Momo Burns-Min (Thurs., Sat.), Remy Young (Fri., Sun.) Tejal Dhiman (Dancer Ancestors).
“We’re delighted to present a preview of WHS Company’s latest musical offering, The Addams Family. The audience will also enjoy the extraordinarily gifted Faculty of Weston Music Center in a short concert preceding the preview on February 24,” said John Boys, Emmanuel Church Senior Warden and Program Coordinator.
For details, visit www.emmanuelweston.org or call the parish office at (203) 227-8565. Inquires for WHS Company may be directed to contact@whscompany.com.
PHOTO CREDIT: Hope Goodrich