J.P. Taravella High School in Coral Springs. {Photo by Mark Burch}
By Ryan Yousefi
Coral Springs transforms into Off-Broadway with the J.P. Taravella Drama Club presenting a two-night performance of a popular American story.
The J.P. Taravella High School’s Drama Theatre Department is set to present the classic musical ‘Babes in Arms,’ a play based on the book by George Oppenheimer and original work by Rodgers & Hart, on February 1st and 2nd at 7:00 p.m.
The story of ‘Babes in Arms’ is a classic tale of rebellion and creativity, where apprentices stand against their greedy boss to save their beloved theatre.
“It was a good fit for these students because they are young, there are many featured roles, and it exposes them to classic Rodgers and Hart music,” JPT Drama teacher Lori Sessions tells Coral Springs Talk.
According to Sessions, the upcoming production will showcase the students’ hard work, including many sacrifices and long days of perfecting every aspect of the story, “The performers have been rehearsing, and designers have been planning since October,” Sessions says.
“We are most excited about presenting a classic American Musical that is rarely performed—especially by high school students.”
When asked about the cast, Sessions says she invites the community to visit the PlayBill website, which lists the cast, crew, orchestra, supporters, and additional information about the play.
The full PlayBill can be viewed here.
Sessions tells Coral Springs Talk that the importance of ticket sales are essential because “sold ticket income only provides about 50 percent of what it costs to put on a production,” so having community support by attending the show goes a long way in ensuring future plays can be put on, and, hopefully, the next great Hollywood stars can say they once called Coral Springs home.
Tickets are priced at $15 for adults and $12 for students. Sessions says that the proceeds cover the costs of royalties, costumes, scenery, props, and other expenses ranging from $12,000 to $20,000 for a production. Scan for ticket information,
Reflecting on her 30 years as a drama teacher at JP Taravella, Sessions says that she finds her role incredibly rewarding, “Watching students grow and explore their talents and find their passion or a fun hobby is extremely rewarding.” she said.
“We are educating future theatre performers, designers, technicians as well as future audience members who are pursuing other careers and using the life skills learned in the theatre.”
Send Your News to Coral Springs #1 Award-Winning News Site Here. Don’t miss reading Parkland Talk, Tamarac Talk, Coconut Creek Talk, and Margate Talk.
