BARNARD—BarnArts Summer Youth Theater kicked off on July 15 to produce the lively full-length production of “High School Musical”in just three weeks. The show opens at Barnard Town Hall on Friday, Aug. 2 at 7 p.m. with performances continuing Saturday, Aug. 3 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. and Sunday, Aug. 4 at 2 p.m. with original costuming, set, choreography, and a live band. Tickets are $15 and $10 for those 12 and under.
Troy, Gabriella and the students of East High must deal with issues of first love and group identity while negotiating the pressures of friends, family and school. “We are all in this together” is the resulting message of this retelling of the age-old story of romance across identity groups.
This is the 13th year of the popular BarnArts Summer Youth Theater program. It celebrates the ensemble nature of musical theater and the communication and leadership skills that are inherent to the art. The camp is open to kids ages 8-18 and registration typically fills up quickly in February with priority placement for previous campers.
“This year’s SYT cast is particularly exciting as we had a push of older kids joining our ensemble,” said SYT artistic director Linda Treash (also BarnArts executive director). New clusters of young teens joined SYT from Woodstock but also from Strafford and Lebanon, New Hampshire.
This year’s cast includes Hannah Allen, Ommy Alvarez-Orlir, Dash Ballou, Mariya Ballou, Pavla Ballou, Jasper Cota, Lucy Davis, Natalie Davis, Charlotte Ellison, Marlena Farinas, Nat Holland, Rei Houston, Ava MacPhail, Jane Malcomson, Tegan Miller, Caleb Paige, Leah Paige, Anabelle Park, David Randall, Joan Ringenberg, Lux Ringenberg, Katie Seregina, Anna Stone, Eliza Stone, Natalie Thakur, Liam Wheeler, and Averie Zitterkopf.
“We have 18 returning youth this year and 10 new,” explained Treash. While most of the returning kids have been with the camp for just two to four years, two kids have been with SYT for a notable amount of time – Marlena Farinas (16), who is in her 12th year, and Jane Malcomson (15), who has been in the program since 2017’s “The Lion King” when she played Young Nala at the age of 8. Farinas and Malcomson are portraying the lead pair of Troy and Gabrielle respectively in this year’s production.
The “High School Musical” cast will preview their performance Thursday, Aug.1 at 6 p.m.
before Bomba de Aqui hits the stage at BarnArts Feast & Field Music Series The production team includes Director Ryan Paige, Music Director Carol Cronce, Choreographer Samantha McLoughlin, Costume and Prop Designer Aura Paige, and Set Designer and SYT Artistic Director Linda Treash.
For tickets and more information, visit: barnarts.org, email Executive Director Linda Treash at info@barnarts.org, or call 802-234-1645.
