Holy Family Academy family and friends were treated to outstanding performances of West Side Story! on February 21-22 at the Salvation Army’s Kroc Center. Inspired by William Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet, this iconic story is set in the mid-1950s in the Upper West Side in New York City, then a multiracial, blue-collar neighborhood. The musical explores the rivalry between the Jets and the Sharks, two teenage street gangs of different ethnic backgrounds. The young protagonist, Tony, a former member of the Jets falls in love with Maria, the sister of Bernardo, the leader of the Sharks.
The HFA Drama Club, directed by Monica Hable and Assistant Directors Ellie Maneely, David Breitenbeck and Carmel Richard, wowed the audiences with their acting, singing and dancing. Leads Faith Chacon as Maria and Dominic DeMark as Tony were supported with strong performances by Vincent DeMark as Shark Bernardo and Sofia Graves as Maria’s best friend, Anita, as well as Daniel Latham as Jet, Riff. The entire cast did an excellent job singing and dancing to many complicated songs.
West Side Story is the latest HFA production of Broadway hits such as Oliver!, Oklahoma! and Hello Dolly! These shows are a labor of love that involve almost all students in grades 7-12. Students volunteer not only to be actors and actresses but to be backstage managers, choreographers, hair and makeup artists, lighting and sound technicians and to do set design. They often comment after the performances about how the plays helped them get to know each other better and work together as a team.
As for the audiences, each year parents are heard to say “I didn’t know my child could sing/dance” and “This is my favorite HFA event all year.” Younger siblings sing and dance to show tunes around their homes and at recess on the HFA playground. Visitors are shocked to find that a small school like HFA can produce such high-quality performances.
Many thanks to Principal Laura Graves and the Board of Directors for this commitment to this program that helps our students to grow and build their confidence in new and exciting ways.
