'SISTER ACT' CAST PREPARES FOR PERFORMANCE AT GALLERIA

By DAVID MOSCA

This weekend, Washingtonville’s own Masque and Mime students, are heading out of the auditorium and into the midst of the Crystal Run Galleria in Middletown to perform some of the numbers from Washingtonville’s spring musical, Sister Act.  This county-wide occasion is an annual event that occurs at the mall every year to support schools and their passion for musical theater. Each school is given the opportunity to perform a few of the numbers from their spring musical in front of hundreds of mall-goers in order to, not only attract outside attention for the school’s musical, but also to spread the love of musical theater to the citizens of Orange County. 

DAVID MOSCA FOR WIZARD WEEKLY

Ms. Denaro, a Washingtonville English teacher and a former Washingtonville musical theater alumni, also works with Masque and Mime after school. She believes that “the chance to perform some of the numbers from the show, in a public place, can really show that performing arts does matter. Performing in a public space allows people who have never seen a Broadway show or a musical experience that feeling for the first time, and it brings people together.”

The performance at the Galleria is a very special tradition that Masque and Mime has participated in for many years. The visit to the shopping center is a very busy time for Washingtonville’s theater kids, mainly because the Galleria performance initiates “Tech Week” where rehearsals for Masque and Mime are everyday and last hours longer than average rehearsals. This week is mainly used for fixing the small kinks in the show,  practicing the show entirely in costume, as well as giving more time for the cast members to work with the crew and the newly constructed sets on stage.

Vice President of Masque and Mime, Laura Rodriguez, is very excited for Saturday’s event, explaining that “the mall performance is an amazing way for the cast to showcase how hard they’ve worked towards this show for the past three months. It really is great to see them shine and really bring attention to the show.”

Masque and Mime will be presenting Sister Act on March 2nd, 3rd and 4th, at 7pm in the Washingtonville High School auditorium. Tickets are being sold in the guidance office and a the door.  They are eight dollars for adults and seven dollars for seniors and Washingtonville students.  If you would like to see the show, visit the guidance office to purchase your tickets.