Musicals are important to Eriden Rose, a senior at North High School in Akron.
“I’ve always been an expressive person,” said Rose, a senior. “I’ve been listening to them ever since I was a kid.”
So important that he completed his costume for the March showing of “Little Shop of Horrors” from a hospital bed. The outfit, a hodge podge of 1980s garb, fit Rose, who starred as the primary villain, Audrey II, while also serving as the student production’s makeup artist and costume designer.
“I had to bring him all the supplies to make his costume,” said senior Baylee Bishop, who operated sound during the three-show production.
Rose’s efforts, and the onstage and backstage endeavors of schoolmates, allowed North to produce its first musical in more than two decades, ensuring similar productions continue at their high school, located in Akron’s North Hill neighborhood. The Drama Club students believe the arts shouldn’t be reserved for the city’s specialized schools. Instead, they argue that every high school should have a robust theater program.
The club is under the direction of art teacher Rae Burton, who trades in her paintbrush for a director’s headset.
“Students deserve the applause, curtain calls and flowers, and the Akron community deserves to see a good show,” Burton said.
To get here, sophomore Avery Cole recruited two classmates to participate in the performance. And now, she has made it her mission to ensure the momentum continues.
In the musical, Cole played Seymour Krelborn, an insecure, timid, awkward but well-meaning man working in a struggling flower shop.
“The arts give me something to look forward to, my personality, and most importantly my sense of self,” Cole said. “If there was one thing that allowed me to truly feel like myself, it’s acting.”
Overcoming the cost of producing musicals at North
Costumes, licensing fees and script fees brought the cost to perform last month’s musical to around $3,000, which was in part funded by the box office success of last year’s play, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” and significant donations from individuals.
“People were inspired to help us overcome budget constraints,” Burton said.
The musical’s success was so significant that Burton is already thinking about next season’s playbill.
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What’s next for North’s Drama Club?
In recent decades, North’s drama program faced a quiet auditorium and low attendance and interest as well as a lack of funding. Musicals are even more expensive and challenging to produce than typical theater productions.
Baker, a senior, said the COVID-19 pandemic and nearly two years of remote learning stripped students of opportunities for self-expression and connection, making it more challenging to know how to interact with each other.
“Joining a drama club or performing in front of audiences can be daunting,” Lainah Baker said, “especially after spending so much time behind a screen mostly alone in a bedroom, kitchen, or broom closet.”
This year, the silence broke.
Some students star in lead roles. But all roles are vital.
“I’ve played just random side characters, but mostly sound tech,” Bishop said. “I prefer that role, and it’s very important.”
Before this production, Burton said “Guys and Dolls” is believed to be one of the last musicals performed at the school — in the early 2000s.
In planning future productions, Burton is weighing the options of two smaller shows or one major non-musical play. For now, the house lights are up, the blocking is set and the stage at North is vibrant once again with student interest and investment.
Zion Roberts (junior)
Role: Starred as Orin Scrivello, a secondary antagonist.
Highlight of musical experience: “Singing ‘It’s Just The Gas.’”
Biggest challenge in getting to the finish line with the musical? “For me, it was definitely remembering stuff … specifically remembering how to properly sing my songs.”
Ryan Yonghang (junior)
Role: Starred as Mr. Mushnik, the owner of a failing flower shop on skid row and the boss of Seymour Krelborn and Audrey.
Highlight of musical experience: “The greatest moment I can recall is putting on a huge laughter across the auditorium during the song ‘Mushnik and Son.’”
Impact of being involved in the musical: “Over months of persistence, consistency, and support, my view of myself completely changed.”
Note to self about being involved in the arts: “Being willing to feel cringe and corny along the way is the greatest way toward growth instead of comfort.”
Brooke Hoon (freshman)
Role: Ensemble. Also prepared sets for scenes.
Impact of being involved in the musical: “Realizing that some of my friends were going to be leaving and can’t come back next year to do the play with us.”
How does being involved in the arts shape you as a human being? “It helps me realize who I am and how much I enjoy acting and being on the stage and watching it come to life as we build the set. It makes me see how much effort other schools put into their plays.”
