Ossining Students to Perform Spring Musical Outside

A year after its production of “The Addams Family” was canceled due to the pandemic, Ossining High School Drama is mounting its first ever outdoor show, complete with a stage built for the performances and an all-student orchestra pit.

The cast is performing “The Theory of Relativity” for a limited general audience this week. The show is being recorded, and a link to a video stream will be available from May 27-June 3. The musical is about how interconnected people are through their shared life experiences.

“It’s my last show and it’s obviously very different than everything we’ve ever done before because of the current situation with the masks and everything,” said senior Marlene Funk, one of 12 cast members. “But I like that the general theme of the show is that we’re all interconnected, despite whatever’s going on around us in our separate lives. I think that really rings true to what’s happening right now.”

The audiences will be smaller because of the pandemic and available space. Cast and crew members can invite a few guests to each performance, and other spots are first-come, first-served basis.

“We have a really unique plan,” said OHS teacher Jessica Beattie, theater director. “This has been a lot of trial and error and learning and figuring it out but we’re making it happen. And the kids are pumped. They’re so excited.”

Senior Aya Abdallah, Drama Club co-president, said the show is a series of isolated stories with a few group numbers that connect it. She plays Caroline, whose monologue at the end of the performance kind of ties all the characters together. It is unlike other OHS theater productions.

“I thought that it would be cool to do it in this setting because it’s something where we could kind of like use the circumstances that we’re in to embrace and make the show cooler, rather than see it as a hindrance,” she said.

Working outside allows for more social distance and is safer, but the show will not start until 8 p.m. because sunset is so late.

The weather is a wildcard. Before a recent rehearsal, the tarp had blown off and students had to sweep and mop water off the stage, said sophomore Derek Rudley, who plays Mike 2. Everyone is hoping it does not rain.

“This show is a really great comeback in terms of the productions at OHS and coming back despite it all,” Derek said. “I’m just happy to be working with everyone and back in theater after this long year of COVID.”

Senior Lizzy Carpenter, a “cat lady” named Julie who finds true love in the musical, said it is about friendship and connecting with others. Having separate story lines that come together at the end is great because it allows for social distancing during parts of the show. “And it also meant that everyone has a lead. So, we all have our own numbers and songs and everything, so that’s been really fun,” she said.

The cast is smaller than for a typical show and students have been practicing for five months. The cast and crew have grown so close, said senior Ava Mooney, who plays Jenny.

Ava performs a song in the musical with Sara, another character Lizzy plays. “Our song is about how Jenny is super popular and Sara’s kind of a nerd … and then once college rolls around, they change tunes and they kind of switch places,” Ava said. “It’s a comedic piece and it’s so much fun to perform.”

Marco Felipe, also a senior, has been in every production since his freshman year. “Having this be my last production and such a momentous one considering I’m not doing it in college and being part of this family that I’ve been with for these four years is really special,” he said.

He plays Oliver, a college student who is unsure about his sexuality, which he expresses through a song called “Apples and Oranges.”

“I think it really is a perfect illustration of what I think that this musical tries to accomplish in terms of one single person growing within themselves but also the other people and other influences that have led him to that point in his life,” Marco said.

The musical is senior Christian Zhinin’s first opportunity to perform on stage at OHS; he previously was a crew member. He plays Anthony, a guy who has feelings for Mira but has anxiety about talking to her. “I’m so glad that I’m actually able to be in it,” he said. “It’s such a really great opportunity.”

Senior Leslie Zhina plays Catherine, a germaphobe whose boyfriend brings over a cake that he made. She tries to cope with the loss of control, but she gets progressively more anxious during the show. “At the end of the third monologue, she has a catharsis and she’s like, ‘Oh, I don’t have to worry. It’s going to be fine. I’m fine,” Leslie said.

Like Leslie’s parents, who are from Ecuador, Catherine’s parents are immigrants who moved to this country to provide a better life for her. “That’s something I felt for Catherine, living up to those great expectations,” said Leslie, whose parents and 10-year-old sister will be among her guests at the performances.

Junior Jacob Boatman plays Adam in the musical, a college physics major who is nervous about asking out Caroline, who is heartbroken due to a recent breakup. The rehearsals initially were virtual and it was unclear if the cast would be able to perform for a live audience, Jacob said.

Having an all-student orchestra is great, Jacob said. “It is very cool because in the past we’ve had adults,” he said.

The other cast members are junior Max Bodoff, sophomore Frank Marrero and freshman Carlos Lopez. The crew includes seven students; eight student musicians are in the orchestra.

Elementary music teacher Emily Ilson is the vocal coach/music director for the show. OHS music teacher Shadman Mirza is conducting the orchestra and music teacher Neil Walker is the accompanist. OHS Class of 2013 graduate Jessica Fleischman, a professional stage manager, is stage manager and technical consultant. The light designer is Andrew Gmoser, formerly of the Westchester Broadway Theatre.