Every year, the Hastings High School theatre department presents three major productions: the play, which opens in the fall, the High School One Acts, which opens in the winter, and the musical, which opens in the spring. CLUE, the play, has just recently finished its two-day run on Saturday, November 15. The One Acts have already begun, and directors are busy picking out their actors as they spectate during auditions. This leaves the theatre department with one unanswered, burning question: what will this year’s musical be?
At the start of the academic year, a general theatre interest meeting was held to discuss all upcoming productions. During the meeting, Hastings’ musical director Laurie Walton hinted at her interest to put on a “Golden Age Musical” this year, meaning a traditional musical released between 1940 and 1960. At a second interest meeting, this time focused specifically on the musical, Walton allowed attending students to shout out which musicals they would personally like to see staged. She would pause the shouting to detail her own experience directing said musicals in the years past, and would discuss the logistics of staging the production in 2026. Musicals would be vetoed on the spot for reasons such as having too small of a cast, requiring difficult dancing, or containing material no longer considered appropriate. Other musicals Walton would scribble down on a piece of paper, promising that nearing the conclusion of the One Acts, all interested in participating in the production could vote for one. By the end of the interest meeting, musicals up for future consideration were “Les Miserables,” “Grease,” “Guys and Dolls,” “The Music Man,” and “Rent.”
Jasper Wolferman, a junior actor who portrayed roles like Sam Carmichael (Mamma Mia!), Mr. Green (CLUE), and Bertram Cates (Inherit the Wind), stated in an interview that out of Laurie’s five options, he would most enjoy Les Miserables and The Music Man. He explained that those were his top shows because he “like[s] shows that have a lot of good music.” Wolferman pointed out that Les Miserables in particular is a show that is sung-through entirely, meaning the singing does not stop even when plot needs to be conveyed. While Laurie Walton referenced this attribute as something that makes Les Miserables a challenging production, Wolferman’s response is a testament to Hastings’ confidence and willfulness to take up a musical challenge.
Lilliana Esposito, one of five seniors who participated in CLUE and the senior head of deck sound and microphones, contributed a tech-based opinion. When asked which musical she’d like to see staged, Esposito responded that she’d want to do Hadestown. While Laurie Walton did not include Hadestown in this year’s selection, she had referenced it as a possibility for the future, since the musical has recently become licensable for school productions. When questioned why she’d want to do Hadestown, Esposito responded that it’s “a very difficult tech show, so it’d be fun to figure out.”
Across all the shows requested, this pattern can be spotted: high school students are interested in a musical that challenges. Whether it’s a musical that requires lots of complicated singing or dancing, like Les Mis and The Music Man, or a musical that is very technically demanding, like Hadestown, the theatre department seems up for the challenge. This speaks to the school’s overall nature, showcasing that HHS students refuse to back down from daunting tasks.
Now, it is only a matter of time before director Laurie Walton reveals her choice, and the eagerly awaiting cast and crew find out exactly what sort of trial they’re taking on.
