Coming off of a great weekend of theatre here at NDP, student “theatre rats” share their favorite memories of their time on and behind the stage at NDP.
TOP ELEVEN MEMORIES of the NDP STAGE
Callie Stewart ‘17: “One of my favorite memories from working in theatre for the last three years would be working with the cast and crew of Our Town. It is hard to imagine putting on any show during the course of three weeks, but we made the best of it! Even though we only had a short period of time together, with a small cast I felt I had the chance to really get to know everyone. Specifically, looking back on the show I remember trying to figure out how to pantomime in the kitchen scene with Ruby Baden, now one of my closes friends. Pantomiming is the use of invisible props, which thanks to Our Town I can now make an invisible breakfast. Our Town is a show I look back on with great appreciation and to this day I am still quoting the show with my friends in the hallway!”
Abby Conte ’16: “I think my favorite NDP theatre memory has to be being part of the cemetery during the production of Our Town last spring. It involved a lot of sitting still–we were dead after all! Staying very still during rehearsals and the performances was tricky sometimes, but when you spend an afterlife next to the same people, you tend to get very close. Some of my closest friendships formed during those rehearsals!
Sam Jenkins ‘17: “One of my favorite theatre memories was earlier in March when NDP did the playOur Town by Thorton Wilder. There were so many obstacles that we had to overcome, like last-minute casting changes, the use of pantomiming, and most of all, the almost impossibly short amount of time we had to get the production ready for an audience (about 3 weeks!). At the time, it was pretty overwhelming and stressful, but looking back it was such an exciting part, and one of the highlights, of my sophomore year. Spending that much time with the cast allowed me to make so many new friends and really gave me a chance to learn new techniques for acting. Through everyone’s very hard work, the cast ended up winning Best Play at the Baltimore Theatre Awards in June. All the practices, late nights, and memorizing of lines was definitely worth it, and I wouldn’t trade my experience for anything.”
Madison Laudeman ‘17: “One of my favorite memories was the campaign for Bye Bye Birdie last year, which was #packtheaud. Olivia Askey and Jill Bateman created this slogan and they did a really great job with advertising for the show. The whole cast and crew spread #packtheaud wherever we went and clearly it worked because we really did #packtheaud all three nights!”
Morgan Peck ’16: “There are many times when stage crew takes a girl beyond the normal limits of the job. During one weekend practice, Ms. Ward gave me the project of adding the mattresses to the bed. I was in charge of a group of underclasswomen, and we had to cut the fabric, arrange it on the frame, and staple it. The task was at times tedious, but our group hit a smooth rhythm pretty quickly. Though the job fully occupied my hands, my mind couldn’t help but marvel at the efficiency of my team and the effortless way we tackled the challenge in front of us. Now I can’t help but smile with pride when I see the bright bed on stage and think of the friends I made that day.”
Miranda Muffoletto ‘18: “In elementary school I didn’t know a lot about theatre; my experience with singing extended to my performances in the shower. But, all of this changed after I was invited to audition for the Sound of Music at NDP in the fifth grade. During the show I found out that I had a new love for theatre. Working on the show and with the cast was an amazing experience, I loved NDP theatre and I knew that I wanted keep doing it. Since the Sound of Music, I have and have performed in five NDP shows, and I look forward to many more. I am so grateful to all the people that are a part of these shows, they have truly changed my life for the better.”
Katherine Battaglia and Rachel Wolniak ‘17: “Secret Garden was our very first musical at NDP. As freshmen, we were a little intimidated by everything that goes on during a show. Thankfully, the older girls in stage crew made us feel welcomed. Whether it was sharing inside jokes about the show, or dancing behind the curtain before a scene change, there was no doubt that we were all like a family. Our absolute favorite memory from the show was learning the lyrics and some of the dance moves of “Come Spirit, Come Charm” and performing them behind the curtain while pre-setting. The funniest part was always when Danny Unitas came behind the curtain and scared us by yelling with the cast. It was fun because after the first few times, we began to expect it and looked forward to it. By doing Secret Garden, we were bit by the theatre bug, and have done every show since. We went from being new, scared, freshmen crew members, to confident Assistant-Stage Managers. We’ll always remember our first show, and are looking forward to all the shows to come!”
Lydia Spurrier ’16: “#FlashbackFriday (which is also opening day for Once Upon a Mattress, be there or be square) to when I was but a small sixth grader who played Jojo in Seusiccal Jr. Flash forward to today, now a senior, I play Princess Winnifred, an unconventional princess one could say. Coming from this very exciting beginning, I am humbled to finish my time at NDP gracing the stage for the final time. I look back on this first experience of theatre, and can’t believe how far we’ve come!”
Erin Shoul ’16: “Imagine a young, intimidated freshman ready to embark on a journey Into the Woods, getting ready for her only scene change. You could say I was psyched up for the big moment… THE COW! One of my only responsibilities was to quickly and quietly pull off a giant cow using only fishing line, and most importantly NOT letting it fall over. You could say I was a little nervous, but now, as stage manager in my senior year, I am so grateful to have had this experience that lead me on the path to discovering my home in the theatre.”
Alexandra Charney ’18: “My favorite memory during Once Upon a Mattress was seeing the amazing talent of all the actors. It was incredible how much everyone improved, and it was a great experience sharing the passion of acting with my friends. This was my first musical in high school, and I look forward to being in many more.”
Meredith Egan ’16: “Circling up before the show every night in the chorus room has always been one of my favorite theatre traditions. Whether it be senior speeches, encouragement from the rest of the cast a crew, or Ms. Ward’s words of wisdom before we go on, our prayer circle is always a special time for us to center ourselves, pray, and get ready for our performance. Although thinking about circling up for the last time on Sunday makes me sad, I will always hold our conversations and the memories we share in the chorus room wherever we go as a reminder that I will always be able to call NDP theatre my home.”
If you have a special NDP theatre memory, please share it with Bluenote and our faithful readers!
Callie Stewart ‘17: “One of my favorite memories from working in theatre for the last three years would be working with the cast and crew of Our Town. It is hard to imagine putting on any show during the course of three weeks, but we made the best of it! Even though we only had a short period of time together, with a small cast I felt I had the chance to really get to know everyone. Specifically, looking back on the show I remember trying to figure out how to pantomime in the kitchen scene with Ruby Baden, now one of my closes friends. Pantomiming is the use of invisible props, which thanks to Our Town I can now make an invisible breakfast. Our Town is a show I look back on with great appreciation and to this day I am still quoting the show with my friends in the hallway!”
Abby Conte ’16: “I think my favorite NDP theatre memory has to be being part of the cemetery during the production of Our Town last spring. It involved a lot of sitting still–we were dead after all! Staying very still during rehearsals and the performances was tricky sometimes, but when you spend an afterlife next to the same people, you tend to get very close. Some of my closest friendships formed during those rehearsals!
Sam Jenkins ‘17: “One of my favorite theatre memories was earlier in March when NDP did the play Our Town by Thorton Wilder. There were so many obstacles that we had to overcome, like last-minute casting changes, the use of pantomiming, and most of all, the almost impossibly short amount of time we had to get the production ready for an audience (about 3 weeks!). At the time, it was pretty overwhelming and stressful, but looking back it was such an exciting part, and one of the highlights, of my sophomore year. Spending that much time with the cast allowed me to make so many new friends and really gave me a chance to learn new techniques for acting. Through everyone’s very hard work, the cast ended up winning Best Play at the Baltimore Theatre Awards in June. All the practices, late nights, and memorizing of lines was definitely worth it, and I wouldn’t trade my experience for anything.”
Madison Laudeman ‘17: “One of my favorite memories was the campaign for Bye Bye Birdie last year, which was #packtheaud. Olivia Askey and Jill Bateman created this slogan and they did a really great job with advertising for the show. The whole cast and crew spread #packtheaud wherever we went and clearly it worked because we really did #packtheaud all three nights!”
Morgan Peck ’16: “There are many times when stage crew takes a girl beyond the normal limits of the job. During one weekend practice, Ms. Ward gave me the project of adding the mattresses to the bed. I was in charge of a group of underclasswomen, and we had to cut the fabric, arrange it on the frame, and staple it. The task was at times tedious, but our group hit a smooth rhythm pretty quickly. Though the job fully occupied my hands, my mind couldn’t help but marvel at the efficiency of my team and the effortless way we tackled the challenge in front of us. Now I can’t help but smile with pride when I see the bright bed on stage and think of the friends I made that day.”
Miranda Muffoletto ‘18: “In elementary school I didn’t know a lot about theatre; my experience with singing extended to my performances in the shower. But, all of this changed after I was invited to audition for the Sound of Music at NDP in the fifth grade. During the show I found out that I had a new love for theatre. Working on the show and with the cast was an amazing experience, I loved NDP theatre and I knew that I wanted keep doing it. Since the Sound of Music, I have and have performed in five NDP shows, and I look forward to many more. I am so grateful to all the people that are a part of these shows, they have truly changed my life for the better.”
Katherine Battaglia and Rachel Wolniak ‘17: “Secret Garden was our very first musical at NDP. As freshmen, we were a little intimidated by everything that goes on during a show. Thankfully, the older girls in stage crew made us feel welcomed. Whether it was sharing inside jokes about the show, or dancing behind the curtain before a scene change, there was no doubt that we were all like a family. Our absolute favorite memory from the show was learning the lyrics and some of the dance moves of “Come Spirit, Come Charm” and performing them behind the curtain while pre-setting. The funniest part was always when Danny Unitas came behind the curtain and scared us by yelling with the cast. It was fun because after the first few times, we began to expect it and looked forward to it. By doing Secret Garden, we were bit by the theatre bug, and have done every show since. We went from being new, scared, freshmen crew members, to confident Assistant-Stage Managers. We’ll always remember our first show, and are looking forward to all the shows to come!”
Lydia Spurrier ’16: “#FlashbackFriday (which is also opening day for Once Upon a Mattress, be there or be square) to when I was but a small sixth grader who played Jojo in Seusiccal Jr. Flash forward to today, now a senior, I play Princess Winnifred, an unconventional princess one could say. Coming from this very exciting beginning, I am humbled to finish my time at NDP gracing the stage for the final time. I look back on this first experience of theatre, and can’t believe how far we’ve come!”
Erin Shoul ’16: “Imagine a young, intimidated freshman ready to embark on a journey Into the Woods, getting ready for her only scene change. You could say I was psyched up for the big moment… THE COW! One of my only responsibilities was to quickly and quietly pull off a giant cow using only fishing line, and most importantly NOT letting it fall over. You could say I was a little nervous, but now, as stage manager in my senior year, I am so grateful to have had this experience that lead me on the path to discovering my home in the theatre.”
Alexandra Charney ’18: “My favorite memory during Once Upon a Mattress was seeing the amazing talent of all the actors. It was incredible how much everyone improved, and it was a great experience sharing the passion of acting with my friends. This was my first musical in high school, and I look forward to being in many more.”
Meredith Egan ’16: “Circling up before the show every night in the chorus room has always been one of my favorite theatre traditions. Whether it be senior speeches, encouragement from the rest of the cast a crew, or Ms. Ward’s words of wisdom before we go on, our prayer circle is always a special time for us to center ourselves, pray, and get ready for our performance. Although thinking about circling up for the last time on Sunday makes me sad, I will always hold our conversations and the memories we share in the chorus room wherever we go as a reminder that I will always be able to call NDP theatre my home.”