By John Bernhardt
It will soon be show time at Andes Central School. Mark your calendars and plan to join us for the fun.
Under the guidance of Ms Tamara Snyder, Mrs. Sharon Tucker, and Mrs. Barbara Cole, the Senior Class will be presenting the musical, The Wizard of Oz on Friday and Saturday nights, March 2nd and 3rd. A school-wide production, The Wizard, will showcase the talents of our seniors. Seniors have been cast in the major roles and attend a drama class every other day where they have been polishing their skills for the upcoming performances.
It has been nearly a decade since Andes has performed a musical, the curtain closing on our last show, Annie, in 1998, so this year’s production will be a first for nearly the entire cast. Beth Little will take us back to Kansas playing the role of Dorothy. Three talented senior guys will be cast as Dorothy’s pals with Phil Rezac playing the Tin Man, Paul Beeman the Scarecrow, and Dan DiVita the Lion. A full contingent including seniors and underclassmen will round out the cast.
The Andes Music Department has added an additional event to our concert schedule this school year. A Pops Concert has been scheduled for Tuesday evening, March 6th. The concert will feature pop tunes and contemporary music selections by the jazz band and the junior/senior band and chorus.
The program will include several ‘oldies but goodies’ sung by the chorus including a guy tune and a girl tune and contemporary pop tunes like Unchained Melody. The jazz band will be performing 25 or 6 to 4 by the band Chicago, Zoot Suit Riot and two or three other numbers. The school band will feature music from the movie Moulin Rouge, Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody, and music from the opera Carmen.
Wendy Redden, Colleen Heavey, and the Media Club are in the final production stage putting finishing touches to their documentary movie on Shavertown. A grand premier is being planned to introduce the film to the public. A date for the premier has not yet been determined but should take place sometime in late winter or early spring.
Fundraising efforts are underway for the March trip of the ACS Travel Club to the Dominican Republic. Twelve students will be leaving on March 7 to spend a week in the Caribbean. After arriving in Santo Domingo, Andes students will be met by local high school students from the city and accompanied on a tour of the Presidential Palace. The week will include visits to several museums including the Amber Museum, a trip to the Mount Isabel National Park and a whale watching tour off the Cayo Lavantado Island. Students will also tour the rainforest in Los Haitises.
Many thanks to Rosalie Glauser, owner of the Slow Down Café, and all her helpers for preparing a delightful dinner meal on January 13, to raise money for the trip. Rosalie’s dinner and the game night that followed provided a great night for local folks. The evening raised over $1,700 that will be used to offset expenses for the trip.
Preparations are underway for a second fundraiser, an International Dinner, scheduled for February 17th. Jacinto Jorge is organizing the dinner event to be held at the school. A drawing for a television and gift basket, sponsored by the Andes Teachers’ Association in support of the trip, will be held that night. ~