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glenviewlantern.com Life & Arts
the glenview lantern | December 29, 2016 | 19
GBS students give sharp performance in All-State musical
Hilary Anderson
Freelance Reporter
Julie Ann Robinson always
loved the Victorian
tale of Sweeney Todd.
The theater director for
Glenbrook North High
School is getting her chance
to present the musical. She
could not be happier.
Robinson will direct
“Sweeney Todd,” an All-
State production, at the
Illinois High School Theatre
Festival, Jan. 5-7, at
the University of Illinois’
Krannert Center for Performing
Arts in Urbana.
About 30 students from
Glenbrook South and
Glenbrook North also will
be participating in the production.
Robinson humbly admits
it is an honor to be asked to
undertake such a task.
“I’ve been a committee
member of the Illinois
High School Theatre Festival
for a while,” she said.
“The executive director
selected a theme and asked
me about doing ‘Sweeney
Todd.’ I was excited with
the opportunity.”
The Festival, now in its
fourth decade, is an annual
gathering of about 4,000
high school teachers, students,
university representatives
and exhibitors.
Students can attend
workshops on college theater
program requirements,
making video applications
and possible internships or
peruse a host of exhibits
like those about lighting
and sound and network
with each other.
The Festival alternates
locations between the University
of Illinois at Champaign/Urbana
and Illinois
State University in Bloomington.
Each year, high school
students from throughout
Illinois audition to be part
of the All-State production.
This year’s cast, crew and
orchestra ensemble number
about 100 students.
Robinson asked Aaron
Kaplan, a 2007 Glenbrook
North graduate, to direct
the orchestra for the production.
“I was a GBN senior and
she was my teacher then,”
he said. “We both attended
the University of Illinois
and had that in common.
We kept in touch because
I like to write background
music and did some for
a few of her productions.
When I graduated, I applied
for the job of assistant
orchestra director here. The
rest is history.”
Auditions to be part of
the All-State production’s
cast, crew and orchestra
began in June.
It was an involved selection
process.
“Even the stage crew
must show evidence, perhaps
a portfolio, of some of
the theatrical-related work
they have performed in
other productions,” said Pat
Murphy, who was the District
225 speech and theater
director for 34 years. Although
retired, he serves
as an assistant director for
this production and others
when needed.
“He was my mentor,”
Robinson said. “I couldn’t
do this without his help.”
Each participant paid
a $500 fee to help offset
the cost of food during rehearsals,
props, makeup,
costumes and other needed
items for the production.
Participants began meeting
around Labor Day.
One weekend each month
is dedicated to rehearsals.
They start Friday evening
for about four hours, 12-
hour rehearsals on Saturday,
then six hours on Sunday.
About 30 Glenbrook students
are in the production.
Twenty-five of them are in
Kaplan’s orchestra.
One is South’s Jack Kelly,
who plays the trumpet.
“I’m so happy Mr. Kaplan
asked me to try out,”
he said. “It is so fun to be
District 225 students in All-State Production
Cast
Ryan Tucker
Ensemble
Garrett Shuman
Yael Sheinfeld
Crew
Jonah Pazol
Orchestra
Gabriel Augustynowicz
Edwin Baik
Emma Brooks
Sarah Chin
Chloe Cho
Ellis Cho
Ashley Choi
Leo Finan
Florence Kang
Justin Kang
Jack Kelly
Ellie Kim
Rachel Levin
Matt Ley
Walter Meyer
Rachel Nwia
Christine (Ye Hee) Oh
Andria Radaios
JP Rodriguez (spelled as
given)
Wynton Rude
Kaitlyn Schneider
Kimmy Siu
Emily Stoller
Lily West
Alex Williams
part of this musical.”
Another Titan is Rachel
Nwia who plays the bass
trombone.
“This is a once-in-a-lifetime
opportunity,” she replied.
“I watched the movie
to make sure I knew what
would be required. I am so
excited to be playing.”
GBN’s Jonah Pazol is
one of the busy crew members
creating, building and
then working the sets used
in the production.
The cast includes GBN’s
Ryan Tucker, who plays the
role of Judge Turpin.
“Everyone has a favorite
something in high school,
whether it’s being involved
in sports or on a math
team,” Tucker said. “We
love acting and this allows
us to experience what a
Townsfolk react after Sweeney Todd shaves a person
during a dress rehearsal of “Sweeney Todd” on Dec. 18
at Glenbrook North. Carlos Alvarez/22nd Century Media
professional career is like.”
GBN’s Garret Shuman
and GBS’s Yael Sheinfeld
are part of the ensemble.
“I have always been involved
in school productions,”
Sheinfeld said. “The
members of the entire cast,
crew and orchestra have
become like a family.”
She related that on rehearsal
weekends cast
members who live far from
the Glenview/Northbrook
area live with volunteer
families.