Don’t ‘Skip’ GLTG’s ‘In the Heights’

Frequent readers of this space — that’s you, Mom — know that the “Skip Kelley” youth production at Geauga Lyric Theater Guild in Chardon is an annual event.

But this year, you don’t have to wait as long in the season to see it.

Moving up from its traditional January slot, this production is now in August and will kick off the GLTG 2017-18 season. This year’s production directed by Angela Milord-Hansen is “In the Heights,” and it will run Aug. 4-20 at the historic Geauga Lyric Theater at 101 Water St. on Chardon Square.

Friday and Saturday performances will be at 7:30 p.m., a new time for shows this season, while Sunday matinees remain at 2 p.m. Tickets range from $10 to $14 and can be purchased online at www.geaugatheater.org, or by calling the box office at 440-286-2255.

According to the folks at GLTG, Kelley was a strong proponent of involving youth in every aspect of production, especially in technical theater areas, such as sound and lighting design. When he passed away in 2005, his former students worked to create a youth series in his name.

To this day, many members of GLTG tech crews have gone on to careers in technical theater. Skip always worked hard with the kids and expected them to do adult level work, no matter their age.

Sounds like my kinda guy.

“In the Heights” was chosen as this year’s show because it is a multi-faceted musical with challenging music and dance. The script and music are from Lin-Manuel Miranda, who is also responsible for the hit “Hamilton!” and the music from last year’s Disney film “Moana.”

“The music, the story, the intricate and realistic relationships are all part of what makes Miranda a great storyteller,” director Milord-Hansen says. “And I am beyond happy to work with this material and the truly talented cast I have. The fact that this particular show honors Skip Kelley, someone I knew, who taught me, and helped instill a love for all aspects of theater in me just makes it more special. I also always welcome the opportunity to educate in my shows.”

“In the Heights” offers opportunities to learn

Moving up from its traditional January slot, this production is now in August and will kick off the GLTG 2017-18 season. This year’s production directed by Angela MilordHansen is “In the Heights,” and it will run Aug. 4-20 at the historic Geauga Lyric Theater at 101 Water St. on Chardon Square.

about the largely Latino cultures, languages, music and dance that MilordHansen says has been an enjoyable challenge for her and the cast.

Ashley Foster is a 16-year-old junior cast member from Aurora High School and Chagrin Falls Performing Arts Academy who plays Nina. Despite the Latino influence of the story, Ashley thinks there is nothing foreign about the show’s universal themes.

“These are real situations people experience, from working all day, experiencing a loss, falling in love, to finding yourself,” Ashley says of the plot. “When I was in fourth grade I saw the First National Tour of this show in Cleveland and ever since then, Nina has been my dream role. The opportunity to audition was a no-brainer!”

This is Ashley’s first show at GLTG, but she’s been involved in other productions at Beachwood Community Theatre, Hathaway Brown Theatre Institute, Garrettsville Curtains Up Theatre, Chagrin Valley Little Theater, and Aurora Community Theater.

“My favorite part about being in this production is my connection to my character,” Ashley says. “Growing up as the daughter of a Spanish teacher, traveling to Spain, Puerto Rico, and Costa Rica to visit family and friends, and having a best friend who moved here from Mexico has given me Latino roots even if they’re not biological. I may not be in the exact same situation as Nina but similar experiences really help me build the character.”

Kat Magalski will be a freshman at West Geauga High School this year who is in the ensemble. She has done shows at Fairmount Center for the Arts and “Peter and the Starcatcher” at GLTG.

“I love the atmosphere of being together with the cast and crew,” Kat says. “It’s kind of like a family working hard and putting everything they have in to achieve an amazing product.”

Rachel Irwin, a 2017 Mount Union graduate who is the choreographer for this production, would agree with that sentiment.

“My favorite aspect about being a part of this production is working with young actors,” Rachel says. “I love how open-minded and trusting they are. Getting the opportunity to help make them stronger and more confident performers is very special to me.”

Rachel just recently choreographed GLTG’s production of “Princess Diana: The Musical,” but has been involved with theater from Cleveland to North Carolina.

“The most challenging thing about this rehearsal process has been working around (everyone’s) schedules,” Rachel says. “This group of people is wonderfully involved in many activities outside of GLTG, though it sometimes makes catching people up on choreography a bit challenging. I think our audiences will really enjoy the numerous full company song and dance numbers in this production. I think they will also enjoy the beautiful story this show has to offer, and all of the hard work that these young actors have done in order to share this message.”

Katie Malish is a cast member who will be a sophomore at Indiana University this fall.

“There are so many show stopping numbers, so much humor and drama, and I’m still surprised by how a quick line can carry so much meaning,” Katie say. “Our music director, Darryl Lewis, pointed out a line ‘As long as we’re alive you’re never alone’ that speaks to the power of family and how they carry you through the hardest struggles in life. Miranda’s words and lyrics carry powerful messages.”

Malish has been performing at GLTG since she was 8, most recently in “The Fantastiks” and “Pride and Prejudice.” She has also performed at the Fine Arts Association in Willoughby, the Great Lakes Theatre Festival, and at school at Indiana University. She saw “In The Heights” at the West End in London and fell in love with it.

“When I heard that auditions were being held at GLTG I knew that I had to audition,” Malish says. “I am so grateful and excited to be able to perform in one of my favorite shows. The most challenging aspect of this song is getting to understand the characters and how they would feel as immigrants to the United States. While this is challenging, I think it is so important as it helps us to understand and empathize with these people, which in turn helps us to portray our characters accurately and emotionally.”

Kirstin Henry, a senior at Chardon High School, is excited to be in such a “modern production” after appearing in “Les Miserables” at school and “Gypsy” at the Memorial Opera House.

“It’s super fun and hip,” Kirstin says of the show. “The one thing that surprised me about this show was the amount of community value that it really portrays, it has a huge family aspect to it that really brings everyone together.”

Producer Mark Miloro agrees with that sentiment, even at a time when immigration politics makes such issues dicey for some.

“Although it’s set in an immigrant neighborhood rich with Latin American culture, this is a story we can all relate to,” Miloro says. “Themes of family, love, sacrifice and the drive to succeed are fairly universal. In many ways the show reflects us, regardless of our backgrounds.”

Hopefully, this performance can reach those who most need to hear that message.

Have a show you’d like to see profiled in Young Thespians? Message Steve Couch @StevenRCouch on Twitter, via e-mail at stevecouch@windstream.net, or post in our Young Thespians Facebook group.