Lucia Forte ’26
As EA approaches our spring season of academics, sports, and arts, many talented students are auditioning and preparing for one of EA’s most immersive opportunities: the spring musical.
This year’s musical, The Addams Family, will challenge EA’s talented singers and test their abilities to convey both family drama and comedy. The journey from audition to opening night is paved with challenges: from labor-intensive work on the set and lighting design, to long rehearsal days, to hours of preparation and memorization outside the confines of the Carrafiell Family Theater.
A typical rehearsal encompasses an amalgamation of different activities in order to prepare for opening night. Junior cast member Jack Cellucci ’24 explains, “At either 3:15 or 3:30, we meet in the theater and have a discussion.” He continues, “We discuss the logistics of the day and do some sort of abstract warm-up or discussion. We will spend time reviewing lines, talking about context, and establishing logistics before diving into the songs and scenes for that day.”
Proper and energizing warm-ups are essential for good performance in both shows and auditions. Lydia Nawrocki ’23 explains, “For shows, we have cast warm-ups which include theater games, diction exercises, and ‘passing the energy around the room,’ which seniors get to lead. For auditions, I usually prepare by trying to get my vocal part down and then just having fun and making sure I am comfortable with it.”
Cellucci explains that certain activities in his everyday schedule have helped with the musical. “Being in choir has definitely helped,” he says, “I have been able to take a deep dive into what music means to me and different voices of the modern era – it allows me to understand that music is always at my fingertips.”
Photo courtesy of Gianna Trala
Not many people are fully aware of how much dedication goes into putting on these performances and ensuring the consistently high standard of excellence. Nawrocki describes that the process of learning an entire dance with the full cast can take up to eight hours of work. She explains, “Because we learn the music for the songs in advance, actually learning the choreo for a full cast song should only take around 4 rehearsals for one song. Then maybe some additional cleaning when we revisit it during tech [week].”
While everyone involved has described the musical as a joyful and rewarding experience, the dedication it requires can also be fairly rigorous, especially during performance week. Cellucci remarks, “The last month can get pretty crazy – I remember days where I was pulling all-nighters just to get through an essay during the musical week – completely worth it, though.”
Daniel Clay, Middle and Upper School Theatre Department Chair, discussed how he helps support his students during this infamous week. “I will send emails to teachers and faculty to let them know the situation, and we always try to get through tech as smoothly as possible. I also try to prepare everyone for long nights by reminding them that there is value and to keep the fun in it,” he says. Most cast members agree that while some nights can be tough to balance, every moment with their cast and on the stage is rewarding and fun.
“The faculty preview is usually one of the students’ favorite nights – it is the first time they get to share the show with others, and it is to their teachers, advisors, and coaches. They always seem to love it,” Clay says.
The long hours together inevitably result in a tight-knit cast and crew. Nawrocki states, “The group dynamic as we head into production week is the best. It can be such a stressful time, so everyone leans on each other and supports each other. We have inside jokes and spend so much time together, getting very close.”
Performing in musicals also requires interdisciplinary skills. Sarah Kotapka ’23 explains, “[The musical] combines acting, singing, and dance. Every time I do the musical, I feel so much more skilled since it encompasses all three of these art forms. That, combined with the energy of the group is awesome, and the friendships we make are incredible.”