LOWELL, Mich. — Looking for a little razzle dazzle? Students in the performing arts program at Lowell High School are ready to deliver just that as they prepare to bring Chicago: Teen Edition to life on stage.
After months of rehearsals, the cast and crew will perform five shows over the next two weeks, beginning Friday, March 6th. The production features a large student cast and jazz inspired choreography that marks a new direction for the school’s theatre program.
Senior Elyse Veldman, who plays Velma Kelly in the show, said the cast is excited to finally share their work off
“I’m just ready for our community to see how hard we’ve been working and what show we’re going to put on,” Veldman said, "this is like a dance show. It’s so fun. Our choreographers have done such a good job."
According to theatre productions director Amanita Fahrni, the show stands out from previous productions at Lowell.
“It’s jazz, we’ve never done a show that has jazz music in it,” Fahrni said, "and with jazz music comes Bob Fosse choreography because he’s just such an amazing choreographer and dancer. To bring that to life on stage is something different we’ve never done.”
Behind the scenes, students are also helping run the production. Senior stage manager Sophie Liley said the show offers something unique compared with more traditional school musicals.
“I’ve seen the show hundreds of times and it’s not your average Disney musical, and I think that’s what makes it special,” Liley said. “It really is something totally new that we’ve never really done before. The costumes are all insane and the actors are absolutely amazing.”
Tickets and additional show information for Chicago: Teen Edition at Lowell High School is available here.
