The Habersham Central Stage Raiders are making final preparations ahead of opening night for their spring musical, Crazy For You.
Crazy For You is a romantic comedy musical set in the 1930s that tells the story of Bobby Child, a young banker who dreams of becoming a Broadway performer. Sent to a rundown theater in Deadrock, Nevada, to foreclose on it, Bobby falls in love with the theater owner’s daughter, Polly Baker, and decides to stage a musical to save the theater. However, he faces many obstacles, including Polly’s resistance to his advances, the anger of her fiancé, and the disapproval of his domineering mother, Lottie. With a score composed of George and Ira Gershwin’s classic songs such as “I Got Rhythm,” “Someone to Watch Over Me,” and “Embraceable You,” Crazy For You is a lively and entertaining tribute to the Golden Age of musical theatre.
Crazy For You is showing at the Habersham Central High School Auditorium April 27-29 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, April 30 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $7 for adults and $5 for students and are available online at www.stageraiders.com
Under the direction of HCHS drama teacher Jeremy Bishop, the production promises a fun evening of musical theater suitable for the entire family.
Now Habersham asked Bishop to share his insights about the show with us. Here’s our Q&A:
Tell us about this year’s production, Crazy For You:
A lighthearted, high-intensity romp of a musical, Crazy For You harkens back to the spirited musicals of the early 20th Century. With an epic musical score and fantastical tap-routines, this show delivers on all levels.
Why did you select Crazy for You as this year’s spring musical?
I love Gershwin. As a younger piano enthusiast, I played his three preludes and, for a while, even had “Rhapsody in Blue” as my morning alarm. That style of music and the dancing of legends like Fred Astaire are my vision of what a show is supposed to be: a musical and visual spectacle that doesn’t take itself too seriously but still manages to deliver.
Crazy For You was one of the “it” shows of my generation. My high school drama teacher always wanted to produce it but lamented that we didn’t have the dancers to pull it off. It lodged itself into my brain – ‘One day, I’m going to perform Crazy For You. I don’t know how or when, but I’m going to do it.’
Originally, we were going to perform Suessical; however, enthusiasm for that title was low. As I talked with Emerald Patterson, my wonderful choreographer, I kept coming back to the show in my mind…’What about Crazy For You?’ And to my surprise, she jumped at the chance. And then my students jumped at the chance. So maybe we are all a little crazy to take this challenge on, but when you have a cast with this many talented dancers, you have to shoot high. I haven’t regretted it.
What’s been the greatest challenge in pulling together this production?
The sheer difficulty and scope of the choreography in this play has meant that we have had to sacrifice a lot of rehearsal to drilling dance. With a cast of students, some of whom are experiencing their first play, that can really cause a lot of stress.
Additionally, marketing. The show just isn’t as well known as it deserves to be. A lot of people came to see Beauty and the Beast last year based on the title alone. With respect to last year’s musical, this one is better. If you have ever enjoyed a Stage Raider’s production, give this one a try. We are very proud of the product we have created.
What are some of the highlights audiences can look forward to in this musical?
The dance numbers in this show will knock your socks off. And some of our soloists will give you chills.
Tell us about the cast:
We strive for a big tent. It is educational theatre at its best. We have students from all different backgrounds and experience levels. Athletes, cheerleaders, chorus kids, debaters and track stars…all are represented. We don’t cater to “drama kids.” We take in everyone and make them into a Stage Raider.
Tell us about the crew:
The crew is fantastic! We are nearly evenly split between experienced crew chiefs and newbies fresh to the black. It’s gratifying to watch student leadership lovingly pass the torch.
How long have you all been in rehearsals?
I might have mentioned already that this is a hard show. We usually rehearse between 6-8 weeks. This show we have been at it for ten weeks.
What are the performance dates and venue?
Performances are April 27-29, 7:30 p.m., and April 30, 2:00 p.m. We are at the HCHS Auditorium.
How much are tickets, and how can people purchase them?
Tickets are a steal at $7 for adults and $5 for students. Tickets can be purchased in advance at www.stageraiders.com or at the door.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Please consider coming out to see this great show and support the hard work of these talented students. And spread the word!
