FORT KENT, Maine – Members of Fort Kent Community High School’s theater program are preparing for “Chicago,” a production that Director Doug Clapp says will have their most ambitious choreography yet.
The school is doing a “teen edition” of the play adapted by Concord Theatricals, which is specifically designed to be performed in high schools and removes overtly adult themes from the original musical.
“Things are toned down a bit,” Clapp said, adding that while the play is still not intended for young children, it will be more geared toward teens.
Clapp said he was a fan of the 2002 film adaptation of the play, which won multiple awards and was the first musical to win a best picture award since “Oliver!” in 1968. The director said he was looking for a musical at the end of the summer, and chose Chicago out of about five possible choices.
Clapp said that he and the students were looking for a challenge this year, and that about six students in the program will be graduating at the end of the school year.
“These guys have gone through at least freshman year being in the drama club, working in theater and doing musicals,” he said. “So we figured, why not?”
He added that the program has several talented singers who will do a great job tackling the material.
Tryouts began in the second week of school, and students were rehearsing by the end of August.
He said the play is set in the 1920s and involves two women, housewife Roxie Hart and nightclub singer Velma Kelly, in jail for murder and a lawyer, Billy Flynn, who offers to help get them released.
Roxie is played by Isabelle Rusnack. Velma is played by Shanelle Rossignol. Flynn is played by Jered Babin. And Roxie’s husband Amos is played by Ziggy Bernstein.
The play will run for about two hours and features 15 complete musical numbers, with some additional singing throughout. He said it features the most ambitious choreography out of any play the program has produced.
“Most of the other musicals we’ve tried to do at the high school haven’t had as much choreography.” Clapp said.
The program enlisted the help of Fort Kent High School Junior Savannah Collin, who Clapp said has taken dance courses for several years and is working exclusively on arranging the production’s choreography.
He said the last time they put together a play with demanding choreography was 12 years ago with their production of Annie.
This will be the program’s final play of 2024. Each year they do three productions, a full-length play, a one-act play that is part of an MPA competition, and a musical.
A total of 14 students will be on stage, with four from Madawaska and two coming from Wisdom Middle High School in St. Agatha.
The play will be held at the University of Maine at Fort Kent’s Fox Auditorium at 7 p.m. on Nov. 21, 22 and 23. And then on Sunday, Nov. 24, they will have a 2 p.m. matinee showing. Tickets are $12 for adults and $7 for students.
