Oct. 17, 2019 -- Senior Nareus Hardin remembers being an elementary school singer watching the stars of Phantom of the Opera and Hello, Dolly! and thinking “I want to be up there so bad.” And now he is, as Cast A’s Mr. Applegate in Heights High’s musical production of Damn Yankees. The show, set in 1950s Washington D.C., features multiple male leads giving the Vocal Music Department the opportunity to showcase the deep talent of its male students.
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Senior Will Davis, who plays Joe Hardy in Cast A, described the chance to be a “full-on protagonist” as “a completely different dynamic from my comic relief role” as Bert in last year’s Mary Poppins. “This show is a lot more character-focused than in the past,” agreed Nareus. “So many characters change and develop over the course of the show.”
Another difference, which is both exciting and challenging for the students, is the intense focus on full-production dance numbers, including a mambo, tango, waltz, and, of course, that Heights High staple: tap.
Kristen Lyon and Nareus Nardin as Lola and Mr. Applegate, Cast A.
According to VMD teacher and director Jesse Lange, “The production set pieces are as big as ever. . . to the point where our stage crew had to build bleachers for the elementary students.” Singers from all seven elementary schools and both middle schools will join the performances, which run on Wednesday, October 30 and November 1 through 3.
The nine lead actors urge the community to come see this show. “It’s such a privilege to get to share the adrenaline and excitement on stage with people in the audience,” said Lila Schubert, who plays Lola in Cast B. “We’re not just working,” agreed Erykah Hawkins who plays Mrs. Applegate. “We’re having fun.”
Many of these students have performed together since elementary school and see this show as “the first-last of our senior year,” according to Charlotte Piszel who plays Meg in Cast B. She believes that the next generation of students deserves the same investment from the community and musical opportunities that she and her peers have had.
Sydney Ball and Will Davis as Meg and Joe, Cast A
Will said that he knows that when the community coming to these shows “They directly fund the arts. We need to keep it going.”
Mr. Lange has described the production of Damn Yankees as “very Heights.” The central message of the show, which is a modern retelling of the German folktale of Faust, is “how you can persevere through life’s adversities. You gotta have an optimistic outlook and you gotta have heart.” He also appreciates the fact that the orchestral score both challenges and highlights the talents of the five-piece high school orchestra. “Most modern shows don't feature full orchestral accompaniment anymore.”
“This show was written to make Broadway musicals more accessible to the average American,” he added. “And what’s more accessible than baseball?”
Charlotte Piszel and Brajawn Upshaw as Meg and Joe, Cast B.
Damn Yankees Cast A will perform on Wednesday, October 30 and Saturday, November 2 at 7:00 p.m.
Cast B can be seen on Friday, November 1 at 7:00 p.m. and Sunday, November 3 at 4:00 p.m.
Jackson Marshall and Lila Schubert as Mr. Applegate and Lola, Cast B
The lead roles of each show:
Joe Hardy: Will Davis (Cast A) and Brajawn Upshaw (Cast B)
Meg: Sydney Ball (Cast A) and Charlotte Piszel (Cast B)
Mr. Applegate: Nareus Hardin (Cast A) and Jackson Marshall (Cast B)
Lola: Kristen Lyons (Cast A) and Lila Schubert (Cast B)
Mrs. Applegate: Erykah Hawkins (Cast A) and Kristen Lyons (Cast B)