8 minute read
Something Ro en!; Independence Awards
arts
The cast of Something Ro en! in the closing number of the Centennial Hall run
Advertisement
COURTESY OF MR. JIM ROESE
Something Rotten! earns Philly Independence Awards
christopher schwarting ’24
After a triumphant return to an inperson musical, the cast and crew behind the Performing Arts Department’s Something Rotten! continued their successes at the Philadelphia Independence Awards. With sixteen nominations, anticipation built for the May 23, 2022 awards ceremony. After live performances and deliberation, Something Rotten! and its performers took home ve awards.
The Philadelphia Independence Awards celebrate and recognize exceptional works in musical theater by schools in the Philadelphia region. This year, over one thousand high school students gathered to perform snippets of their shows, receive recognition, and meet other student actors.
Students spent the latter half of the day at the awards. Fourth Former Jai Bonaparte was among the students present.
“We were at the Temple [University] Performing Arts Center,” Bonaparte said. “We performed the numbers ’Right Hand Man’ and ’Hard to be the Bard.’”
While the awards took up the evening, much preparation was in order, too.
Sixth Former Damian Ferraro said, “We started off by doing a dress rehearsal. So we had to get mic’d, we had to make sure everything was set up backstage, and then we did our dress rehearsal. We had to make sure the program was put in shape.”
Something Rotten! received nominations in many categories, ranging from vocals and acting to lighting and overall best show. Of those won, Fifth Former Thomas Pendergast received Best Supporting Actor, and Grace Morley, a Junior at the Academy of Notre Dame de Namur, was awarded Best Supporting Actress, Best Vocalist, and Best Song. Many were also included in the award for Best Dance Ensemble.
Aria Ferraro, a Radnor High School sophomore who accepted the award for the dance ensemble, recalled the shock of being called to the stage.
“I was surprised because other groups were so good,” she said. “I went on stage and my mouth was wide open. I was like, ’what’s going on?’ I walked slowly up to the podium and everyone was cheering—it was such a surreal moment.”
Ferraro then gave a speech she prepared, mentioning the cast as she spoke.
She said, “I’m super proud of the dance ensemble.”
Director Mr. Darren Hengst believes a changing arts dynamic contributed to Something Rotten’s success.
“I think it is our program here at Haverford and the importance the arts have gained throughout the time I’ve been here, which would be the thing that goes unnoticed,” Mr. Hengst said.
Mr. Hengst also highlights the many unsung heroes working behind the scenes.
“This show’s success doesn’t happen without Miss Hallman’s productions and classes. She instills confidence in our guys and gets them comfortable on stage and working with each other. And without Mr. and Mrs. Case and Mr. Stroud’s music classes and choirs, our boys don’t come to our shows understanding music and their voice,” Mr. Hengst wrote. “Mr. Hightower working directly with our cast and also the Glee club and Notables [is] the perfect support point. He is supporting them through his conductor role.”
Mr. Hengst recalls the night not only for its successes but also for its warmth and camaraderie.
“We absolutely had a wonderful night,” Mr. Hengst shared, “but what I’ll remember most about the night is the number of cast and crew members that came out to support each other. Our cast and crew took over the balcony and when every nominee was mentioned, you knew Haverford was in the house by the cheers that came down.”
Fifth Former Harvey Pennington, who played Shakespeare, saw the experience as an encore.
“I loved the experience and it was really cool to do a performance one last time with the guys,” Pennington said. “I was so happy to see some of our guys win and it really summed up the work we put in. I was also lucky enough to do the opening number with Grace Morley and twenty other schools.”
Mr. Hengst equates the experience to developing a family, as awards series like the Independence Awards are not purely about competition; instead, they are about enjoying the art of performance and creating bonds with others.
“That’s what theater does,” Mr. Hengst recounted. “It creates lifelong connections. When I looked at prom pictures and saw our guys going to prom with girls from the cast, or students excited to be back to rehearse a number again for the awards show, it shows the importance and need for this type of activity for our students.”
And it’s not just within the cast and crew of Something Rotten! Connections were made with other groups, too.
“We had dinner with all the other groups—we got to see all the other groups go through during the dress rehearsal. [The cast] met up with some other schools and talked and socialized for a bit,” said actor Damian Ferraro.
This opportunity to watch and see others was the highlight for Ferraro.
“The highlight for me—a really humbling moment for me—was knowing that there are so many other schools that have really good theater programs. The structure of the [Independence Awards] featured a bunch of different ensembles from different musicals, and all of the nominees for the best musical were put on a list and all had one or two songs they performed. There were so many other schools with amazing shows,” he recalled.
With hard work having paid off, there is excitement for next year’s production potential.
“While this show may seem like its own entity, it is years of work and commitment to build a successful production like Something Rotten!,” Mr. Hengst wrote. I look forward to doing it again next year when we produce Les Misérables.
MR. DARREN HENGST
HARVEY PENNINGTON ’23
sports
Varsity Quad wins Nationals
Adiyan Nayak ’24
In the final weeks of a high school team’s season, players and coaches alike try to send off their Sixth Formers on a high note. This year, the Varsity Quad ended their rowing careers on the highest note possible. Sixth Formers Wyatt Johnson, Jake Brewington, Wells Benson, and Chase Herz emerged victorious at Nationals.
Teams came from all around the country, qualifying based on local success. Under extreme pressure and facing the toughest competition, the four dedicated athletes prevailed, winning the event for the first time in decades.
“Every boat we’ve raced has four guys who are trying their very best to win the event as well,” Brewington said. “What set us apart is that we were willing to go the extra mile, and we had the coaching to help us along the way.”
It has been a long journey rowing, and for Brewington, it started as a Third Former.
“I joined the team in my freshman year, mainly just because I needed a spring sport,” Brewington said. “I rowed with the summer program that summer, and I really fell in love with what I was doing, and I found success doing it.”
This spring, the Varsity Quad grew close spending countless hours together.
“We had the opportunity to row all spring with each other, we didn’t have many lineup changes,” Johnson said. “Every day we all show up, and we’re all there with a common goal: to practice and get better, and get to the point where we can win each race we set the boat in the water. I think that’s another reason why we’re all very good friends, and why we were able to put together a successful season.”
Individually, they continued to put in work, which was another factor in their success.
“We had four really gritty guys that we’re coming into practice locked in and ready to go,” Brewington said. “More importantly, when they were on their own, and they had free time, they were putting in the work to get faster themselves. We trusted each other and we all wanted the same result, and when it came time to really go for it at Nationals, we were able to lock in and really do something special.”
The work paid off when the boat crossed first, giving the team a feeling they will never forget.
“Crossing that finish line and hearing the buzzer sound that the race was over, and checking to see that we had crossed the finish line first, it was one of the best feelings in the world,” Johnson said. “Just knowing that all the hard work we’ve put in throughout the season has paid off, and that we ended the year on a high note. Being able to celebrate winning nationals was a very special moment that I will remember for the rest of my life.”
As graduating Sixth Formers, the victory was a perfect end to their time at Haverford.
“I’m grateful for all the teammates that have helped along the way, and I’m grateful for all the coaching I’ve received,” Brewington said. “To be able to win multiple really big, legitimate regattas, that’s the highlight of my Haverford experience.”
As they prepare for the future, the Sixth Formers have set an example for future teams to live up to.
“I really do hope the younger guys are able to see what we’ve been able to do this spring,” Brewington said. “I hope they’re ready to follow in our footsteps and do some big things in the upcoming years.”
JAKE BREWINGTON ’22
WYATT JOHNSON’22
COURTESY OF THE HAVERFORD CREW INSTAGRAM ACCOUNT
The Varsity Quad (left to right, Jake Brewington ’22, Wells Benson ’22, Wya Johnson ’22, and Chase Herz ’22) with Coach Jon Stephanik
e work paid o when the boat crossed rst, giving the team a feeling they will never forget. “To be able to win multiple really big, legitimate regattas, that’s the highlight of my Haverford experience.”
JAKE BREWINGTON ’22
