COMMUNITY
APRIL 3, 2019| AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS
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Basis Ahwatukee students to present peach of a musical AFN NEWS STAFF
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asis Ahwatukee drama teacher Helen O’Connell wanted something different when she was deciding what spring musical her students would present this year and she thinks she has just the ticket. “Roald Dahl’s ‘James and the Giant Peach’ was just what we needed,” she said. “This musical is relatively new – it first premiered in 2010 – and features beautiful music written by the writing duo Pasek & Paul.” Moreover, she noted, “The themes in this musical are universal, the desire to be a part of a family, to be loved and accepted for who you are, and that we possess the power to change our fate. James goes on a magical journey, and audience gets swept away in the music and the excitement.” With particularly elaborate sets and costumes, students in grades 5 through 11 will present the musical at 7:30 p.m.
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April 5 and 6 and April 12 and 13 at the school, 10210 S. 50th Place, Ahwatukee. With the help of music director David Hopkins and student choreographer Abigail Swalander, the students have been practicing and building sets since January. “The show’s music has a classic Broadway feel, while still being new and exciting,” said O’Connell, who runs an off-stage drama club with production manager Kelsey Hillman. Club members have been working on the sets since the beginning of the year and got an assist from art teacher Amy Jensen, who designed the backdrops. In addition, students Raima Ayer and Fatma Omar created puppets that look like bugs that become gigantic once they are hit with a magic potion. The students “began by researching puppet design techniques, then gathered their supplies and started building the puppets in early March,” O’Connell said. “The design aspects of the show have a
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steampunk feel to them, and the puppets are created from re-purposed metal, gears and wire.” With lead costume designer Sophia Pywowarczuk, the students fashioned costumes that are a “a combination of thrifting, re-purposing and altering clothing we already have in our shop,” she explained. “In order to give the insects distinctive features, the students added accents and details that are more bug like.” One of the biggest shows she’s ever produced with a total 70 students, the show presented some challenges. “I had to think of every movement on stage and behind the scenes to make all the students and set pieces move seamlessly together,” O’Connell said. “We have 45 actors to costume, and many actors in the cast play multiple roles as well. Creating the illusion of the peach on stage has been a fun challenge. The lighting and set crew worked together to create the final product.” The cast includes Spencer Hachtel, Ilo-
na Szelinger, Alayna Ziglin, Zubin Sidhwa, Tiffany McKalko, Arnob Kabir, Kevin Kansas, Susannah Nania and Kathryn Christian. The ensemble includes Suzan Aldekr, Raizel Andaya, Rheana Andaya, Ottavia Formicone, Sagal Hussein, Aneeka Islam, Ana Jovanovic, Nitya Miyyapuram, Jeffery Morning Star, Shashwat Newa, Sophia Northup, Nicholas Pugliese, Katie Ritchie, Kaylyn Rogers, Yana Surtchev, Sophia Pywowarczuk; Also, Sai Anandapu, Noah Bayih, Lily Bell, Charlotte Brinton, Alexandra Chuang, Natalie Ellis, Awj Fadhil, Sophie Fishman, Nathan Greenman, Rachel Greenman, Arwen Henderson, Nadia Islamagic, Ayla Justice, Seunghyun Ku, Kylie Low, Leila Lubovac, Charles Nania, George Northup, Yufeng Pan, Kalyn Scofield and Mariam Sow. Technical crew includes Raima Aiyer, Sarah Ballachanda, Brook Dejen, Irene Fahndrich, Tyler Gaston, Maya Haddad, Elizabeth He, Julianna Joya, Kalena Leahy, Fatma Omar and Cody Trett.
AFN caught up with Basis Ahwatukee students during a rehearsal for their production of “James and the Giant Peach.” The young thespians include, all from left: 1) Natalie Ellis, Miriam Sow and Alexandra Chuang; 2) Arnob Kabir, Ilona Szelinger, Susannah Nania and Tiffany McKalko; 3) Rachel Greenman, Natalie Ellis and Seunghyun Ku; 4) Alya Justice; 5) Kevin Kansas; 6) Alayna Ziglin; and 7) Spencer Hachtel. They are part of one of the biggest casts that Basis drama teacher Helen O’Connell has ever assembled for a school production.
PHOTOS BY KIMBERLY CARRILLO/AFN Staff Photographer
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