VA Performing Arts Debuts a Triple Feature for 2024 Spring Musicals

When the “Not Improv” cast took to the stage to begin the show, they selected one word each from three different boxes, stringing them together to inform the subject of their show. As the audience arrived for each performance, they were asked to submit words on slips of paper into boxes that read “Adjectives”, “Verbs”, and “Nouns”. For instance, “smooth,” “jumping,” and “dog” were selected on opening night, and the actors concocted a short musical about adopting a dog for their well-behaved 6-year-old. Theater Arts Director Mr. Jonathan Barron ’96 provided the soundtrack melody on the keyboard, to which the performers tuned their off-the-cuff songs.

The musical “Book Lovers” takes place in modern times, opening with a bookworm reading at the library, who only favors literature genres of horror, sci-fi, and stories devoid of any love tropes. After an encounter with her crush, the protagonist tries to suppress her longing for love with a musical number on all things gorey and spooky, and her distaste for any books of romance. That is, until Cyrano de Bergerac, Helen of Troy, and Shakespeare’s Juliet Capulet jump out of their stories and try to coax the sheepish reader into embracing love.

“What’s Your Wish?” begins with a birthday celebration, with emphasis on the ritual of the blowing out of the candle, and making a wish. The birthday boy and his friend share a debate about the concept of wishes and their credibility for coming true. When the pair decide to explore the attic in the house they’re in, they uncover an old haunted book, and find themselves in the middle of “Death Forest.” They soon realize they may have to swallow their skepticism and rely on wishes to escape their fate at the hands of an evil witch.

Jonathan Barron ’96

Maryann McArdle

Lindsey Fitzgerald

Jonathan Barron ’96

Yundi Chen ’27

Steve Cady

Jero Alvarez ’27

Rosita Tong ’24

Levi Reed-Rhaiem ’24

Andy Darcy ’25

Asper Donath ’26

Suki Lambert ’25

Caitlin Masure ’25

Jonathan Barron ’96

Rosita Tong ’24

Librieonna Cooper ’24

Suki Lambert ’25

Caitlin Masure ’25

Alvaro Vega Martin ’27

Jonathan Barron ’96

Alyson Lantz ’25

Antisha Ssuna ’25

Ana Hernandez-Merkle ’25

Suki Lambert ’25

Alvaro Vega Martin ’27

Leran Chen ’24

Darlene Tashobya ’25

Iker Riado ’26

Andy Darcy ’25

Suki Lambert ’25

Caitlin Masure ’25

Casey Rhodes ’27

Musical Director/Accompanist - Jonathan Barron ’96

Double Bass - Asper Donath ’26

Book and lyrics by Talaura Harms, music by Jonathan Bauerfeld

Dewey - Alvaro Vega Martin ’27

Charlotte - Suki Lambert ’25

Cyrano de Bergerac - Caitlin Masure ’25

Helen of Troy - Maya Sbardellati ’25

Juliet Capulet - Librieonna Cooper ’24

Hester Prynne - Casey Rhodes ’27

Sir Lancelot - Andy Darcy ’25

Conductor/Piano - Maryann McArdle

Double Bass - Asper Donath ’26

Book, music, and lyrics by Thicket & Thistle

Nicholas - Andy Darcy ’25

McKenzie - Librieonna Cooper ’24

Diana - Maya Sbardellati ’25

Brian - Asper Donath ’26

Witch - Maya Sbardellati ’25

Fairy - Librieonna Cooper ’24

Conductor/Piano - Maryann McArdle

Flute - Caitlin Masure ’25

Photos of the performances can be found here.

Special thanks go to Steve Cady and Ashley Storrow, the maintenance and housekeeping crew, the Vermont Academy Parents Association (VAPA), and VA families.