Students Celebrate ‘Of Mice And Mozart’

By Larissa Lytwyn

Head O’ Meadow’s fourth grade class, which moves up next year to Reed Intermediate School, made its mark on the school with a spirited performance of Micahel and Jill Gallina’s Of Mice and Mozart, directed by Head O’ Meadow music teacher Julie Bastos on the evening of Wednesday, March 10.

“Doing [the performance] made me learn a lot about Mozart,” noted Blake Ruddock, who portrayed the incomparable composer.

The cast was selected through names drawn from hats, explained Ms Bastos. Every student had a role, whether portraying a mouse, a member of the chorus, Mozart’s family (including pets), or Austria’s colorful social circle.

“The 13 mice narrated the piece,” said Ms Bastos. The mice costumes, consisting of satiny-pink lined ears and soft gray tails, were sewn by the mother-and-daughter team of Pauline and Suzette LeBlanc.

Suzette’s son, Luke Piazza, played Mouse #9 in the production.

“Wearing the ears and tail were the best part of being a mouse!” declared Jo Jo Wollman, who played Mouse #10.

Others, including Luke Shearin (Papa Mozart) and Charlie Feltch (Head of the Academy) said that the costumes, consisting of tricornered hats and heavy white wigs, were slightly uncomfortable to wear.

“I learned a lot about what people wore back then!” agreed Blake, grinning as he wrinkled his nose slightly.

Playing the popular role of the Mozart family dog, Bimperl, was Julia Clarke.

“The costume was very hot,” said Julia, “but it was a fun part to play!”

Mozart’s pet canary was played by Rachel Graves.

“I basically just flapped around a lot!” Rachel said, laughing.

Emily Molloy portrayed Mozart’s wife, Constance Weber. “[Wolfgang] and Constance Mozart didn’t have a lot of money,” she said, “that I found surprising!”

“Yeah!” agreed Blake. “They never had a lot of money.”

As the story goes, Mozart and his wife squandered a lot of the money they acquired through lavish, incessant spending. At the time of Mozart’s death, in fact, at age 35 from illness, he was penniless.

Mozart often played for royals of the period, including French Queen Marie Antoinette (Jessica Lajoie) and Empress Maria Theresa (Jessica Gorski).

Ms Bastos lauded Jessica for her portrayal of the royal lady. “She even used a French accent!” she said.

Katherine Martinelli played Mozart’s younger sister, Nannerl, whose considerable musical talent was undermined by the time period in which she lived, a period in which women were largely relegated to domestic roles.

“I love the work the Gallinas produce,” said Ms Bastos. “I thought this was a good piece for the [fourth grade] age group.”

All in all, she concluded, the production went very well. “Everyone did a great job,” she said, “and I think the parents really enjoyed it, too.”

Cast of Characters

Papa Mozart (Luke Shearin), Anna Maria (Mikalia Kemsley) Nannerl (Katherine Martinelli), Herr Canary (Rachel Graves), Bimperl (Julia Clarke), Wolfgang Mozart (Blake Ruddock) Herr Schactner (Sean Dardine), Musicians (Phillip Lyon, Allison Blume, Madeline Dorso), Maria Theresa (Jessica Gorski), Marie Antoinette (Jessica Lajoe), Head of the Academy (Charles Feltch), Composers (Mary Hamula, Jake Tolson), Constance Webber (Emily Molloy), Mice (Joshua Barrett, Carson Leon-Gambetta, Justina Paproski, Emily Lones, Sarah Ainley, Natalie Landfair, Kaitlyn Vos Winkel, Marline Keane, Luke Piazza, Jo Jo Wollman, Katelyn Kean, Ryan Daignault and Taylor Steimle).