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(Posted
5:30 p.m., Feb. 5)
St. Peter production sets new standard for high school
musicals
By Fred Sherwin
Orléans Online
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 The
St. Peter High School production of 'Tarzan:
The Musical' features Blair Plummer and Morgyn
Davies as Tarzan and Jane. Fred Sherwin/Photo
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When
I first heard that St. Peter High School was going to
stage its annual musical production at the Shenkman Arts
Centre, I couldn't wait to see and hear what musical theatre
head Bernard Leger and his students had in store.
The
result, which can be seen over the next three nights,
is pure theatre magic, and that, if you can believe it,
maybe an understatement.
Leger's
choice of "Tarzan: The Musical" is sheer brilliance.
The production is the perfect confluence of an amazing
cast with a collection of some of the finest voices to
ever appear in a St. Peter musical; a top notch orchestra
that would put many professional ensembles to shame; and
out of this world acoustics provided by the Harold Shenkman
Hall.
The
play is based on the Disney film of the same name with
music and lyrics by Phil Collins who no doubt would be
tickled pink at the job done by this group of high school
students.
I
can't say enough about the cast who obviously have been
rehearsing their butts off. The primary leads include
Blair Plummer as Tarzan, Lindsay White as his adopted
mother Kala, Cole Priddle as his adopted father Kerchak,
Nick Henriquez as his best friend Terk, and Morgyn Davies
as Jane.
All
five are amazing, but White, who won the Ottawa Idol competition
in 2013, and Davies, who reminded me of British X-Factor
contestant Janet Devlin, provide a one-two punch that
hasn't been seen in a St. Peter musical theatre production
since Samantha Mouchet and Hannah Barrett in the 2004
production of "Les Misérables".
But
then again, St. Peter productions have always been blessed
by a strong female leads.
The
rest of the lead cast includes Gillian Campbell as the
leopard; Brandon Mainville as a jungle guide determined
to bring Tarzan back to London to put him on display;
Olivia Woods as Clayton's assistant; and Robert Gusdal
who plays Jane's father and who I've had the pleasure
of seeing develop since his early days with the Orleans
Young Players. (Nice socks by the way.)
And
then there's Emily Howron who does double duty as a member
of the ensemble cast and the young Tarzan. Her solo, "I
Need to Know", was a definte highlight of Wednesday
night's opening performance.
Other
highlights included White's solo performance of "You'll
Be In My Heart"; Priddle's solo "No Other Way";
White and Priddle's duet "Sure As Sun Turns To Moon";
Plummer and Davies' duet "For The First Time";
and Davies and Gusdal's duet "Like No Man I've Ever
Seen".
I
could go on and on about this play. It's not just one
of the best high school plays I've ever seen, it's one
of the best plays I've seen since I started covering local
theatre 15 years ago. Aside from the performances, the
set design and costumes are on par with anything you'll
see at the GTC or NAC, which is a tribute to everyone
involved, especially the team of students working behind
the scenes.
You
still have two more nights to see the play for yourself.
Curtain time Friday night and Saturday night is 7 p.m.
Tickets are $15 for general seating and $20 for premier
seating including surcharges and can be purchased at the
Shenkman Arts Centre box office.
(This
story was made possible thanks to the generous support of
our local business partners.)
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THE OTTAWA SCHOOL OF THEATRE presents an all ages production of Treasure Island in the Richcraft Theatre at the Shenkman Arts Centre. Showtimes Thursday, April 18 and Friday, April 19 at 6:30 p.m. and Saturday, April 20 and Sunday, April 21 at 1:30 p.m. Tickets $20 for adults. Students and youth 25 and under $10. To purchase visit 
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