Flashbacks to a century ago, a baby’s miraculous survival and songs with banjo accompaniment are among ingredients in this spring’s Greater Latrobe Senior High musical.
As was this past fall’s play, the musical “Bright Star” will be presented in a performance filmed in advance by the school’s drama club and made available online to subscribers.
The format avoids bringing large numbers of spectators together in the school auditorium as Westmoreland County continues to see new cases in the covid-19 pandemic.
“We stayed as safe as we possibly can” in creating the performance, according to director Allison Duda. Recorded music was used instead of pit musicians and students wore masks during rehearsals and were divided into teams that remained separated. The 40-member cast included a sort of Greek chorus positioned on risers above the main characters.
“Bright Star,” created by pop culture icon Steve Martin and songwriter Edie Brickell, is of fairly recent vintage and should be less familiar to the local high school musical audience. In 2016, it won an Outer Critics Circle Award and was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Musical.
Featuring a little bluegrass flavor, “The music is incredible,” said Duda. “It really tells the story.”
Inspired by a true story, the musical is set in the South of the 1940s — with flashbacks to the 1920s, when a baby survives being thrown from a bridge, Duda said. What follows is “a story of love, redemption and miracles.”
Sophomore Ben Federico and senior Sofia Herr portray the play’s central romantic couple, Jimmy Ray Dobbs and literary editor Alice Murphy. Federico, who has about nine years of acting experience with Greensburg’s Stage Right troupe, said he enjoyed getting caught up in the emotions of the characters.
According to Federico, Jimmy Ray is “filled with passion and swagger, and I’ve loved every second of getting to know him. And, even better, he sings some of the best songs in the show, in my opinion.”
His character’s duet with Alice, “I Had A Vision,” had Federico “in tears backstage after it every single time.”
The show’s music also spoke to Herr. “The soundtrack includes so many different kinds of songs, some upbeat and energetic, and others deeply emotional,” she said. “That being said, the score still feels cohesive as the bluegrass style is translated through each different song.”
Greater Latrobe is presenting a shorter concert version of the original Broadway musical. “It made it a little safer for us to have less time on stage for the students.” Duda said. “All the musical numbers are still there, and we’re using full costumes and full blocking.” Narration sometimes is used to help summarize plot points.
Local filmmaker Matt Fridg of Headspace Media, whose skills were employed for the virtual fall production, was called upon to capture the spring musical performance as well.
“We put a lot of our financial resources into the filming,” said Duda. “It’s a professionally filmed show with CD quality sound.”
She noted viewers will see a “shout-out” from Brickell as an addition to the performance.
“Bright Star” will be available for viewing at 7 p.m. on April 23 and 24 and at 2 p.m. on April 25. Tickets cost $25 per device and can be purchased at latrobedramaclub.com.
