Category Archives: High School Theatre

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Cincinnati, OH-The Walnut Hills High School Theatre Department is elated to be welcoming back live audiences to its 2021-2022 school year senior high musical, the regional high school premiere of The SpongeBob Musical.

Adapted from the iconic Nickelodeon series, The SpongeBob Musical follows SpongeBob, Patrick, Sandy, Squidward and all of Bikini Bottom as they face total annihilation when a local volcano, Mount Humongous, threatens to erupt in 24 hours. Spongebob, Patrick, and Sandy attempt to save the day, while Plankton cooks up another one of his evil schemes and attempts to thwart our heroes—until a most unexpected hero rises to take center stage.

Regarding the musical, director Mike Sherman says, “While this is certainly a fun show based on a cartoon loved by so many, it also has a really great message about friendship and community. In a very cynical time, this show brings a joyous message of hope and optimism.”

The show runs February 17-19, 2022 at 7 p.m. in the Walnut Hills High School Auditorium.

Mikki Schaffner Photography.

The SpongeBob Musical
With New Songs by Yolanda Adams, Steven Tyler and Joe Perry of Aerosmith, Sara Bareilles, Jonathan Coulton, Alex Ebert of Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros, The Flaming Lips, Lady Antebellum, Cyndi Lauper, John Legend, Panic! At the Disco, Plain White T’s, They Might Be Giants, T.I., and songs by David Bowie, Tom Kenny & Andy Paley / Additional Lyrics by Jonathan Coulton / Additional Music by Tom Kitt / Music Supervision, Orchestrations and Arrangements by Tom Kitt / Original Choreography by Christopher Gattelli

Based on the series by Stephen Hillenberg, Book by Kyle Jarrow, and Musical Production Conceived and Directed by Tina Landau.

Tickets are $12 for adults and $10 for students. They are now available, and can be purchased at: https://sites.google.com/view/whhstheatredepartment/tickets, where audience members can also read the COVID 19 policies for attending the performance.  Please be advised that seating is currently limited for all performances.

This production and the entire WHHS Theatre Season is graciously sponsored by the Walnut Hills High School Class of 1964 Performing Arts Fund.

Featuring:
Leo Jenkins as SpongeBob Squarepants, Valerie Dreith as Patrick Star, Diana Hutchinson as Sandy Cheeks, Nate Caudill as Krabs/French Narrator, Ella Vaughn as Pearl, Brando Donaldson as Plankton, Lily Canter as Karen, Emma Dalton as Squidward, Owen Cummings as Perch Perkins, Wolf Singer as Patchy the Pirate/Johnny the Bartender, Avery Frank as The Mayor, Loretta Rubin as Mrs. Puff, Hadrian Dwyer as Larry the Lobster/Gary, Sophie Christian as Old Man Jenkins/Pirate, Oscar Stec as Buster Bluetang/Pirate, Riley Soutar as Security Guard 1/Mob Fish/ Jellyfish Puppeteer, Alonzo Mongomery as Security Guard 2/Sardine Devotee 1/Sea Anemone, Anika Vockell as Electric Skate 1 / Girl Fish Trio/Cowboy Fish, Clare Graff as Electric Skate 2 / Girl Fish Trio/Cowboy Fish/Sea Anemone, Maya Busche as Electric Skate 3/Girl Fish Trio/Cowboy Fish, Izzy Lachey as Hip Hop Dancer/ Plankton Backup Fish/A Fish/Pirate/Sea Anemone, Nick Kaufmann as Mob Fish/Jellyfish Puppeteer, Lily Clark as Sardine Devotee 5/Jellyfish Puppeteer, Andrew Canter as A Sardine/Pirate/ Sea Anemone, Sophia Cotton-Riker as Plankton Backup Fish/Sardine Devotee 2/Sea Anemone, AJ Frecker as Hip Hop Dancer/Plankton Backup Fish/Sardine/Sea Anemone, Kyra Doty as Sardine Devotee 3/Pirate/Sea Anemone, Chloe Goodman as Sardine Devotee/Sea Anemone, Katie Berich as Plankton Backup Fish/Sardine Devotee/ Teen Fan 3/Sea Anemone, Lizzy Rebber as Another Fish/Sardine/ Pirate/Sea Anemone, James Overton as Another Sardine/Pirate/Sea Anemone, Mya Verticchio as Sardine Devotee/Pirate/Teen Fan 2/Sea Anemone, and Josie Leanza as Sardine Devotee 4/Teen Fan 1/Jellyfish Puppeteer.

• Directed by Mike Sherman
• Technical Direction by Helen A. Raymond-Goers
• Assistant Director: Sophia Rooksberry
• Production Stage Manager- Lucia Johns
• Assistant Stage Managers- Jamiera Jones and Abbie Kershner
• Choreographer- Maggie Perrino
• Student Choreographers- Lael Ingram and Izzy Lachey
• Costume Designer- Sadie Gray
• Hair and Makeup Designer- Laurel Prince
• Lighting Designer- Allison Calkins
• Makeup and Hair Designer- Laurel Prince
• Master Electrician- Reagan Warvel
• Marketing and Publicity Head- Avery Frank
• Music Director- Tony Nims
• Orchestra Conductor- Ed LeBorgne
• Props Designer- Oran Wilkins
• Scenic Designer- Chloe Goodman
• Sound Designers- Mary Sullivan and Reagan Warvel

Poster design by Nadyaa Betts.

Cincinnati, OH- After a full season of virtual offerings last year, the Walnut Hills High School Theatre Department is eager to welcome back live audiences with Eugene Ionesco’s classic of the Absurdist Theatre, Rhinoceros.

The show runs November 11-13, 2021 at 7 p.m. with an additional 2 p.m. matinee on Saturday, November 13.

The play follows the inhabitants of a small French town, as one by one, they inexplicably turn into rhinoceroses. One “sane” man, Beringer, tries his best to survive the onslaught while resisting the temptation to become one of the herd.

“Being an absurdist play, Rhinoceros doesn’t make a lot of sense on purpose,” says director Mike Sherman. “However, audiences will soon realize that it’s actually pretty brilliant social satire on a whole host of contemporary social issues.  Also, there’s a lot about the current world we live in that doesn’t make a whole lot of rational sense, either.”

Owen Cummings as Berenger & Adeleigh Karoutchi as Daisy. Costume and mask design by Sadie Gray. Photo by Mikki Schaffner Photography.

The design concept of the play combines traditional French style clowning and masks, while also being influenced by the black and white episodes of The Twilight Zone. The design elements are all done in grayscale to make the audience feel like they are watching a black and white, B-horror movie right out of the 1950s- right down to the glorious campiness of it.

Wolf Singer as Jean. Costume and mask design by Sadie Gray. Photo by Mikki Schaffner photography.

“While there are some jump scares that happen, it’s also a dark comedy- there’s a lot about human behavior to laugh about,” says Sherman.

Tickets are now available, and can be purchased at: https://sites.google.com/view/whhstheatredepartment/tickets, where audience members can also read the COVID 19 policies for attending the performance.

This production and the entire WHHS Theatre Season is graciously sponsored by the Walnut Hills High School Class of 1964 Performing Arts Fund.

Featuring Owen Cummings as Berenger, Wolf Singer as Jean, Adeleigh Karoutchi as Daisy, Claire Graff as The Housewife, Loretta Rubin as The Grocer’s Wife, Azaria Cuff as The Logician, Leo Jenkins as The Old Gentleman, Jude Shotwell as The Grocer/A Fireman, Anika Vockell as The Cafe Proprietor, Josie Leanza as The Waitress, Nicholas Kaufmann as Mr. Papillon, Isabella Lachey as Botard, Nate Caudill as Dudard, Sophie Christian as Mrs. Boeuf, Andrew Canter as The Little Old Man, and Echo Lyons Siler as The Little Old Man’s Wife.

• Directed by Mike Sherman
• Technical Direction by Helen A. Raymond-Goers
• Production Stage Manager- Mary Sullivan
• Assistant Stage Manager- Abbie Kershner
• Costume and Character Mask Designer- Sadie Gray
• Lighting Designer- Sophie Glenn
• Master Electrician- Reagan Warvel
• Props, Puppet, and Rhinoceros Mask Designer- Laurel Prince
• Scenic Designer- Chloe Goodman
• Sound Designer- Maya Busche