2023 Spring Musical Reveal

by Ozzie Hall

The start of a new school year also means the start of preparing for a new Spring Musical. During the early days of September, a small poster covered with logos from various musicals appeared outside the auditorium doors. On the 9th of the month, some students and staff members involved in Newfield’s Theatre Arts cabinet began removing shows from this poster, thus beginning the elimination style in which this year’s 2023 Spring Musical would be revealed. This style of musical reveal has become a popular niche on TikTok over the past several years. Newfield’s Theatre Arts program has started its own TikTok account to post clips of the elimination. By Thursday, November 10th, nineteen consecutive days of removals were documented, some featuring more than one eliminated show. Only four shows remained on the poster: Mamma Mia, Fame, Beauty and the Beast, and Seussical. However, the best had yet to come.

On Monday, November 14th after school, the official musical announcement was made in the auditorium with a great spectacle. The possibilities were now down to Fame and Seussical. There for the final event was Ally Ali from the radio station BLI, as well as theatre student Jasmine Recova, who was given reigns over the Long Island Music and Theatre Fest’s Instagram page. Ali was supposed to reveal what would be the final musical, but a new reveal replaced it just moments later. The Theatre Arts officers choreographed a dance in alignment with a song of the same name as the musical, hence releasing the surprise in a striking fashion. The 2023 Spring Musical was revealed to be the 80’s dance drama, Footloose. This reveal came with much joy from the students who were present at the event.

Spirits are high following the reveal, and the special guest captured this especially, saying, “Newfield is great, and I can’t wait to see Footloose!” This spectacle seems to be a natural progression of the Theatre Arts program. Last year’s musical production of The Little Mermaid was a major success--it nearly sold out on all performances and was nominated for several Teeny awards. The Little Mermaid was a production that

Ally Ali attended, so her presence at the reveal of

Footloose was a continuation of her support for the Newfield Theatre Arts program. She stayed for a Q&A with those who remained after the main event, during which she gushed about her love of theatre. She revealed that while she could not decide on a favorite show, one she would love to perform in is West Side Story. Ali’s feelings on theatre are best summed up in a quote from Recova’s interview with her for LIMTF, where she said theatre is “the happiest explosion of fun and creativity.”

Spirits are high following the reveal, and the special guest captured this especially, saying,