Final Preparations Are Underway For ‘Show Boat’

By Susan Coney

The great American musical Show Boat will dock at Newtown High School April 7–10.

Based on Edna Ferber’s 1926 novel, Show Boat tells the story of three generations of the Hawks family, and life aboard the Cotton Blossom, their Mississippi River boat. The characters, Cap’n Andy (Paul Ashey), and his wife Parthy (Brianna Eckhart), are raising their daughter Magnolia (Evan Barbour) aboard their show boat. The story depicts the special bond that develops within the extended family of workers and actors aboard the boat.

Rich with characters, the musical has all the important elements to draw the audience in.

The main characters include young lovers, Julie (Jackie Curran) and Steve (Greg Gordon), a villain, Frank (Stephen Petrovich), and a gambler named Gaylord (Matt Grills).

The Newtown production of Show Boat faced a daunting task in many respects. The set is a masterpiece. The detail and careful thought in creating the Cotton Blossom are evident. The musical score reflects four decades of American music, ranging from gospel, jazz, and blues to romantic ballads. The most memorable tunes include well-loved songs such as “Ol’ Man River,” “Can’t Help Loving That Man of Mine,” and “Make Believe.” More than 70 students perform the story that depicts life from 1887 to 1927.

Costuming was another enormous challenge. With close to 400 costumes being used in the production, careful planning had to be taken. From post-Civil War attire through Art Nouveau and into the jazz and Art Deco era, styles representing a 40-year span will be used in the production.

Most of he costumes for the production have been rented from Paper Mill Playhouse in New Jersey. Michelle Greenfield, a junior at NHS, is the costume coordinator. She along with Alexa Feldman, Remy Ball, Abby Atkinson, Sarah Gutbroad, and Jackie Gutbroad handle all the details of the costumes.

Peering into two jam-packed dressing rooms filled wall-to-wall with racks of elaborate costumes, as well as a large storage closet loaded with additional clothes, it is apparent that organization is a key issue for the costume crew.

Alexa Feldman explained that each costume is labeled in detail so that it may be located quickly for each scene. Several actors sport as many as eight to ten different costumes throughout the production. The costume crew is also responsible for fittings, alterations, and keeping all parts of the detailed costumes together. Alexa and Remy pointed out the fine detail of the costumes, some rich velvet with beadwork, others covered in sequins. They were quick to point out that it takes a lot of coordinating to make the costume changes run smoothly.

With last minute details in costumes and sets taking place it is evident that the Newtown High School students are upbeat and energized about the upcoming production. Evan Barbour, playing a lead role as Magnolia summed, it up for the group. “The opening night, the whole weekend, the curtain call makes you feel great. You know that you, the cast, and crew really accomplished something.”

Performance dates and times for Show Boat are: Thursday, April 7, at 7 pm; Friday, April 8, at 7:30 pm; Saturday, April 9, at 7:30 pm; and Sunday, April 10 at 2:30 pm. For ticket information and reservations call Cyndi DeMarco at 426-7983.