Two productions in two weeks: NPHS Theatre returns under the stage lights
TOWAMENCIN–Tapping feet on the hardwood floor with songs echoing off the auditorium’s walls under some of the school’s brightest lights will come back this November for North Penn High School Theatre, which will perform two shows this month. One of these shows will celebrate 50 years of theatre at the high school.
While North Penn Theatre returned to the stage last spring, they did not have an audience. The two shows presented by North Penn High School Theatre, “Breathing Through Covid” and “Descendants,” were broadcast only online, but it wasn’t the same experience. Not having an audience was a monumental change for students and teachers alike.
“I’ve been doing theatre for over half a century, so not being able to do it the way I was doing since I was 6– it’s been very hard. While we managed to still do theatre last year with a virtual show in the fall and a recorded show in the spring, it just wasn’t the same without having live people,” North Penn High School Theatre Director Andrea Lee Roney said, reflecting on the previous year.
Now their audience is returning alongside them. Roney had been waiting for this moment since the spring. With live listeners coming back, she receives a chance to put on a show that involves the history of North Penn High School Theatre.
“This summer, Music Theatre International made available a review called ‘All Together Now.’ It was put together with songs from a variety of different Broadway shows. When this came across my desk, I knew it was perfect. It was tailor-made for us. It lets us include our middle schools who are doing a number each, the high school students who lost out on so much, and alumni who will perform with us on stage. It was really just dropped in our laps, almost like a gift from the theatre gods telling us to just go for it,” Roney explained with a grin on her face.
Roney has witnessed North Penn High School Theatre grow in front of her own eyes. She watched it from day one and has taught theatre at North Penn for the last 17 years. She described her first memories as a high school student. While she was not at North Penn during day one, she saw one of its first shows ever.
“I was in high school at Upper Perk, and my mother and I saw ‘Oklahoma.’ It was astonishing. There I was sitting in the audience, not knowing my future partner was dancing up on stage,” Roney recounted.
That partner is Debra Buckner, North Penn High School Theatre’s choreographer. The two share an opportunity that gives each of them happiness.
“To be sharing this with her is really exciting. To be sharing this with this current group of students is exciting because they were all just being born when I became the theatre teacher, so to know we’re keeping up with this is so exciting,” Roney reflected.
Celebrating 50 years is no small feat. Around the world, theatre programs don’t always receive the aid they need to keep on providing for their students. That is not the case at North Penn, and Roney offered thanks.
“We are so fortunate with our North Penn community, school district administrators, staff, faculty, families, and students all have let theatre education go this strong both in the classroom and on the stage for 50 years. That is not the norm around the country and the world. Most schools struggle to have a theatre program, most schools do not have theatre classes that support the extracurricular, so I am very grateful to those who support it,” Roney said.
As mentioned earlier, the 50th-anniversary show isn’t the only program that will be on stage this November. “Much Ado Without Nothing,” a Shakespearean play full of comedy, drama, and romance, will present on stage. Having to perform two shows within a week of each other is not a simple task.
“We are rehearsing ‘Much Ado Without Nothing’ Monday through Thursday night and all day Saturdays. We do the music for ‘All Together Now’ Tuesday and Thursday afternoons. We are kind of getting back on the horse and learning to ride again with long days and long rehearsals. It has stretched all us to get back into that mindset, but is setting up really well for the spring,” Roney said.
All of the hard work displayed by the students has left Roney joyous. Everything she’s missed the last 18 months is coming back together.
“It’s just a joy. It has been my life’s work and a part of my 17 years at North Penn High School. My work in my previous careers all led to this point. Being able to get back to what we normally do is a joy,” Roney added.
Her pride is because of her students. They have so much on their plate but have adapted to overcome unique challenges. November 2021 is a busy time for North Penn High School Theatre, but they stepped to the plate and didn’t miss.
“I am just so proud of the students. They really embraced doing two shows, we’re also hosting the Penn State Thespian Conference after Thanksgiving. So, the weekend of the 13th, we are doing ‘All Together Now’ and the following weekend is ‘Much Ado Without Nothing.’ We take a break for Thanksgiving, but come right back to host the Penn State Thespian Conference at North Penn. We are also performing ‘Much Ado Without Nothing’ for the conference. It’s very packed-full, but I am so proud of how the students are taking this on and are making it happen,” Roney said, with her face beaming with happiness.
Tickets for both shows are on sale now. Click here to buy tickets for either show. “All Together Now” runs on November 13th at 7:30 PM, and tickets are $10 per person. “Much Ado Without Nothing” runs on November 18th, 19th, and 20th at 7:30 PM and November 21st at 2:00 PM.
Both in-person and live-stream tickets are available on those days. There will also be scheduled streams on November 26th and 27th, and December 4th at 7:30 PM, and December 5th at 4:00 PM. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students for in-person shows. For both livestreams and scheduled streamings, tickets cost $10 per person or $25 per group of 5 or more. You can scan the QR-code to purchase tickets and to see more information.