History in the Making
The Butler High Thespians fall musical will be the historically-based classic “1776.”
Performances will begin at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 18 and 19 in the Butler Senior High School auditorium.
Tickets are $5 and are available at the door or at May’s Music Shoppe, 247 E. Jefferson St.
A musical history lesson, “1776” is about the debates and compromises that led to the Declaration of Independence.
Although originally and traditionally performed with a cast of 24 men and two women, Butler High’s current production of “1776” has been cast “blindly,” meaning the actors were cast in the parts the director believed they were best suited for without regard to gender.
The cast includes:
Carly Ratica as John Hancock, Ivy Fallecker as Josiah Bartlett, Andrew Stock as John Adams, Miko Alcantara as Stephen Hopkins, Robin Schmeider as Roger Sherman, Hannah Eberle as Lewis Morris, Elaina Fenstermacher as Robert Livingston, Erin Ritson as Jonathan Witherspoon, Matt Cole as Benjamin Franklin;
Amy Achenbach as John Dickinson, Skylar Ruth as James Wilson, Bonnie Klopfer as Caesar Rodney, Shannon Green as Thomas McKean, Gretchen Wilson as George Read, Samantha Barnhart as Samuel Chase, Austin Uram as Richard Henry Lee;
Grant Clark as Thomas Jefferson, Jack Fleming as Joseph Hewes, Stephanie Miller as Edward Rutledge, Miranda Santoro as Lyman Hall, Matt Blose as Charles Thomson, Olivia Pascazi as Andrew McNair, Emily Grecco as Abigail Adams, Amelia Bishop as Martha Jefferson, Dan Terwilliger as courier, and Chase Uram as leather apron.
The dancers are:
Jessica Donato, Haley McCreary and Natalie VanLaningham.
The orchestra is composed of:
Jennifer Croft, a student, as conductor; on clarinet Maria Savannah, Brittany Slupe and Rochelle Snyder; on trumpet Aidan Semanco; on viola Sabrina Leksell; on trombone Khalil Hill and Rennae Wigton; on percussion Josh Croup; on oboe Rhiannon Kosar; on piano Raechal Wigton; on violin Dana McCurdy and Jazlyn Gruver; on flute Rebekah Bright and Rachel Konieczny; on French horn Zach Woessner and Emma Hundermark, and on bass Adam Stock.
Dale VanLaningham is the director, Lynn Crytzer the vocal director, student Emily Donato the choreographer, student Nicole Andler the stage manager, and student Monica Caparosa the assistant stage manager.
Costumes are by Carol Albright, Audrey Eberle and Deb Moran, with props by Jennifer Mariacher.
Technical director is Robert Harrison, with technical assistance by David Smith, Audrey Eberle and Will Eberle.
Creative assistance is provided by Stephanie Marshall.
