ASHLAND — Ashland High School students are showing perseverance and versatility as they aim to record a COVID-safe production of Godspell for the community.
The edited recording will then be live-streamed for the public to view online at 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 19, 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 20 and 2 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 21.
It’s a way to five those interested in drama a chance at participating in the safest manner possible amid the pandemic. Galion students offered a similar solution during a production of A Christmas Carol in December.
“We weren’t even sure that we were going to have a musical this year because of the restrictions,” director Rich Wasowski said. “The musical is a big deal. We realized that if we can stream it, that would be great.”
Archer Auditorium seats roughly 1,000 (pre-pandemic), but with the current state guidelines, a live performance would have extremely limited the capacity.
“We are giving the kids a different theatrical experience and we are really happy that our tradition of the musical gets to live on one more year,” Wasowski said.
Technical crew members and stagehands, who normally spend their time moving props and set pieces, are instead handling camerawork.
AHS’s production of Godspell includes a cast of fifteen students in 10th through 12th grade.
Students have been rehearsing since before Christmas break, which included several remote rehearsals via Zoom.
Co-stage director and choreographer, Ann VanScoy said the students were up for the challenge, which included learning a multitude of upbeat songs that require a conglomerate of choreographed movements.
“Normally we have a huge cast with big production numbers, and then smaller songs that feature our leads. This show is incredible because everybody is kind of a ‘lead,’ because they get so many feature songs,” VanScoy said. “Everybody is onstage the entire show, so it is a lot for all of them to learn the choreography.
“We have an incredible music department at Ashland High School, so we are always blessed with really talented kids to work with.”
Ashland High School’s theatre program originally planned to perform Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, but they could not acquire the rights to livestream the show.
Leona Brown, director of photography and a senior at Ashland High School, highlighted the amount of work that goes into recording a theatrical show.
“I want [the audience] to feel like they are in the theatre with us,” Brown said. “It is balancing the normalcy of what people want with the artistic side of it as well.
“Everybody who is a part of making this come together did not want to give up on the show, because this is probably the thing most of these kids look forward to, and I know the community looks forward to it every year.”
Brown ordinarily graces the stage herself, but was sidelined this year due to a foot injury. She decided to use her videography talents to remain involved in the theatre program and bring Godspell to life as best she could.
“Usually, its the energy of the audience that gets us going, and now it’s the energy of the cameras,” Wasowski said. “It’s a whole different mindset for all of our performers.”
He added that the show is set in 2021, allowing the production to incorporate the pandemic into the story line.
Performers are consistently wearing masks as well as sanitizing as they move about the stage. The set is also adorned with vibrant colors and murals that connect with timely topics, including Back the Blueline, Black Lives Matter, the pro-mask and anti-mask movements.
Interested community members can purchase their tickets to the livestream of their choice through this ShowTix4U link.
