As Christmas is almost upon us, so are many of our county’s annual productions. From the many different plays in schools, such as “Les Misérables” at Richard Montgomery to Rockville Theatre’s annual production of the Nutcracker, there are many exciting shows for students and families to enjoy this year.
The F. Scott Fitzgerald Theater is hosting this year’s production of the Nutcracker, a holiday classic tradition that has dated back ever since 1974. The ballet consists of more than 75 adult and teenage dancers. “A lot of people who go to see Nutcracker don’t come to other seasonal ballet shows because Nutcracker is well known and part of the Christmas season,” explained Richard Montgomery Senior Hana Huie, a dancer in the Nutcracker. The show is broken down into three acts, each of which expresses a different phase of the protagonist Clara’s life. Actors have been practicing tirelessly, with rehearsals on Sunday lasting five hours long and Wednesdays for two hours. All the hard work inevitably pays off, especially when the audience views the spectacular quality of the production. “It is extremely rewarding to perform on stage and hear the applause or to see little girls who are experiencing the magic of the Nutcracker for the first time,” said Huie. It is even more special as everyone at her ballet studio shares a special family bond with one another.
One of the many school plays occurring around the county is “Les Misérables,” which has been put together by Richard Montgomery’s Black Maskers. The production had four wildly successful performances, drawing tears and laughter from the hundreds of people in the audience. “Les Misérables was an amazing show to work on. It’s a really complicated show to put on, but everyone involved worked really hard, and we managed to do it super well!” said performer Kate McHale. The students worked hard for two months to build the whole musical from scratch. “All members, whether they were part of the stage crew, pit, or more, put everything they had into turning the musical into the very best they could make it,” stated McHale. It’s clear that everyone involved was very dedicated. “I’d see him studying his music all the time, during lunch, during free class time, and that’s really admirable,” said Vlady Guttenberg about Judah Canizares who played the lead role of Jean Valjean.
As these unique productions end for many schools in MCPS, all of those involved in the plays can look forward to the next spring musical. Even though the winter plays may be over, the experience for many has truly been amazing and unforgettable. Students should try to attend as many local performances as possible to support their peers and enjoy the classic stories and tales that have touched hearts for years.
Article by MoCo Student staff writer Kyle Zhu of Richard Montgomery High School