Panther players return to the stage

By Alberto Gilman
Posted 4/20/22

After a two-year wait, the Wallkill Senior High School Panther Players are ready to bring the classic story of Cinderella to life on the stage.

Wallkill Theater Director Liz Bailey said the …

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Panther players return to the stage

Posted

After a two-year wait, the Wallkill Senior High School Panther Players are ready to bring the classic story of Cinderella to life on the stage.

Wallkill Theater Director Liz Bailey said the school production was only three weeks away from opening weekend in 2020, when the pandemic broke out and forced shutdowns across the country, leaving many students heartbroken.

Bailey has served as the theater club director and advisor for the past 20 years at Wallkill High School and also served as a full-time nurse, who worked through the COVID pandemic. Now retired from her full-time nursing position, Bailey dedicates her time solely to the Wallkill stage and her students.

“These kids are my heart. I just absolutely adore what I do. We’re very much like a family here,” Bailey said. “I can’t even imagine the day that I have to give this up.”

Over the past several weeks, the cast and crew have been working on sets, making sure lighting is correct, trying on costumes and remembering and rehearsing lines.

The senior class of the Panthers Players this year include Dustin Colombo, Chase Spano, Abigail Giambrone, Jacob Baca, Sabrina Hickey, Sadie Heidemann, Madison Rivera and Levi Neuwirth. A majority of the seniors were originally cast into the Cinderella production before it was canceled and so now this is a special moment for them.

“Everybody’s worked so hard and put in so much time. We’re really excited for this and we want other people to be excited for this,” Heidemann said.

This will be Colombo’s first year having a role in a Wallkill production. He previously worked in the pit and after many years of being asked to join a production, he ultimately agreed.

“What you [the public] can expect from this show, in my opinion, is a great show. We’re very well prepared,” Colombo said.

After previously working in the stage crew for the Panthers Players, this will be Hickey’s first year having a role in a production. This year, Hickey plays the Lead Joy and is grateful to be given the opportunity after Bailey had asked her to be a part of the cast.

Spano, who plays the Lead King, had worked on previous productions in the past. This production is a bittersweet moment because of senior year and working with many talented actors and being a part of this club has been a wonderful experience for Spano.

For Baca, being a part of this club has been a great experience and he is thankful for the time spent with the cast and crew. “It is going to be a fantastic show. There’s going to be humor for kids, adults,” Baca said. “It’s going to be such a surprise for the kids that they are able to see a story that they were told when they were a kid fully come to life right in front of them.”

As a collective, all of the seniors this year are grateful to Bailey for her guidance and allowing them to participate in the productions.

“This is it and I think you should expect greatness because we [the cast and crew] are pouring our hearts and souls into this [show],” Rivera said.

Cinderella will run from April 21 to 24. There will be a showing for senior citizens before the opening weekend on Thursday, April 21 at 3 p.m.

Show times are Friday, April 22 at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, April 23 at 1:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, April 24, at 1:30 p.m. In case of bad weather, there will be a show at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 30. Tickets for adults are $12, students/children are $8 and seniors over the age of 62 are $8.

If there are any questions, please call 845-895-7150.

Cast:
Madison Rivera - Cinderella
Jonathan McLaughlin - Prince

Isabelle Polchinski - Queen
Chase Spano - King
Makayla Wynn - Portia
Sabrina Hickey - Joy
Sadie Heidemann - Ensemble
Eric Scheerer - Ensemble
Naomi Groth - Ensemble
Dustin Colombo - Ensemble
Bryanna Wallace - Ensemble
Olivia Clarke - Ensemble
Lauren Cambalik - Stepmother
Adrienne Silvestris - Fairy Godmother
Jacob Baca - Herald/Chef
Abigail Giambrone - Steward
Keegan Sohocky - Minister/Grandma
Finn Superville - Coachman
Kat Holmes - Footman
Kaley Slader - Footman
Nemo Hennessey - Ensemble
Raine Daunt - Ensemble

Stage Crew:
Hunter Annetts
Sandra Benitez
Lucia Dangeli
Luke Fragetta

Cooper Heidemann
Janelle Jusino
Inagin Matthews
Alex May
Danny Zayas
Alex Paige

Orchestra:
Levi Neuwirth - Coordinator/French horn
Katrina Brand - Violin
Ben Diemoz - Bass

Kareem Dilworth - Violin
Clare Eagan - Violin
Ariana Jorge - Saxophone
Olivia Moussot - Violin
Dan Rizzo - Trumpet
Kateri Warren - Cello
Darcy Woodruff - Percussion
Thomas Kane - Conductor
Judy Bracco - Flutes
Sandy Brandman - Viola
Dale DeMarco - Clarinets
Bill Gillespie - Trumpet
Thomas Gorman - Trombones
Kathryn Jones-Pisano - Flutes
Kerry Maloney - Clarinets
Andrew Sciulara - Trombones
Donny Stroffolino - Percussion
Barbara Warren - Oboe/English Horn
Bruce Winslow - Bassoon
Frank Gloss - Percussion

Production Crew:
Liz Bailey - Director
Mark Cambalik - Assistant Director
Anita-Jean McMonigle - Choreographer
Lauren Tuck - Choreographer Assistant

Hannah Blair - Music Director
Bernadette Brewer - Costume Designer
Virginia Cambalik - Costume Assistant
Alex Strock - Set Designer
Nicole DeRobertis - Assistant Set Designer
Mark Cambalik - Set Designer Construction/Assistant Director