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USCHS revives ‘On the Twentieth Century’ for musical

By Eleanor Bailey almanac Sports Editor ebailay@thealmanac.Net 5 min read
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The Upper St. Clair musical will run its final weekend March 9-11. Showtime is 7:30 p.m. nightly.

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Upper St. Clair students practice a routine for the school musical.

March 9-11 is the final weekend to see the Upper St. Clair High School musical “On the Twentieth Century.”

A winner of five Tony Awards and a Best Musical nominee, the show was originally produced in 1978 and was last seen on Broadway in 2015.

The curtain rises at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $15 for adults and $6 for students. Visit www.usctheater.org to order tickets online.

Each year Thomas Hunsberger, middle school musical teacher and the musical director, strives to select a show that will provide a balanced theater experience for the upperclassmen.

“This particular group has had the opportunity to perform in ‘The Wizard of Oz,’ ‘Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,’ ‘Shrek,’ ‘Smokey Joe’s Café’ and ‘Seussical.’ We wanted to round out their experience with melodrama, comedy and charm,” Hunsberger said. “‘On the Twentieth Century’ is a very entertaining show that combines all of these elements in the best way.”

For the cast, the selection of a less-known show can evoke trepidation, intrigue and an excitement to try something new.

“It was a little nerve-wracking preparing to audition for a show we knew little about, but it was exciting to work on something new for the cast in addition to the audience,” said Colin Eccher, a senior who portrays Conductor Flanagan. “The style of the show, from the score to the scenes, is super unique. Learning to act and speak in the 1930s time period has been a new but rewarding experience.”

The opportunity to perform a different style of show was a welcome change for some.

“I got very excited about doing an older show,” said Grace Kelly, a senior who is cast as Mildred Plotka/Lily Garland. “We did two kid-oriented shows in high school, so I was glad to do something more mature and different.”

Knowing that the show would be completely unknown to the cast and crew, Hunsberger used the first informational meeting in the fall to fully introduce the story and the history of the show.

“Like the train it is named after, ‘On the Twentieth Century’ is a fast-paced show that keeps moving once the orchestra starts the overture. I wanted to put that excitement into our cast from the beginning,” he said. “There are so many moving elements to the show that every member of the cast will be moving from start to finish, whether it be a quick costume change, or maneuvering around set pieces as they provide vocal support to the cast members on stage.”

According to Hunsberger, “On the Twentieth Century” is considered to be one of the last classic musicals of the 20th century.

“Featuring a 21-piece orchestra, the original production had a rich score to support the melodramatic elements of the script and give life to the 20th Century Limited; the train on which the majority of the show takes place,” he said. “When the production closed on Broadway, they reduced the score to an 11-piece orchestra and altered the script for the tour. We have received permission from the rights holders to use the original 21-piece orchestration from the original Broadway production for our performances in March.”

The music, dance numbers and art-deco set have grown on the cast.

“I’ve grown to love ‘On the Twentieth Century,’ said Eccher. “My favorite moments have been rehearsing tap dance numbers with our talented choreographer, Pamela Barsotti. The show features a little bit of everything, and I enjoy getting to be a part of it all.”

In addition to liking the costumes, Kelly noted that this may be the only opportunity for some community members to ever experience this show.

“The parts and numbers are very fun and remind me of a bunch of different musicals combined. It is not a popular show to do because it is very difficult,” she said. “The sets and music are going to really impress our community but also allow them to laugh.”

In addition to a whole new show, the set design differs from anything USC students have experienced to date.

“One of the most memorable components is the fantastic set showcased throughout the show,” Eccher said. “Audience members will be taken inside the Twentieth Century and beyond in a set mirroring the original Broadway production.”

The crew used space within Fort Couch Middle School to lay out and paint the 20-by-40-foot wide backdrops.

“Designed to replicate the elegance of the 1930s model of the 20th Century Limited, the original set was made of various types of metal polished to a shine as a way to honor the railroad and show how glamorous the premiere mode of transportation was at the time. Our set design works to re-create the original production designed by Robin Wagner at the St. James Theatre,” Hunsberger said. “In addition to re-creating the train itself, we are hand drawing and painting three large-scale backdrops for the show curtain, opening scene, and flashback sequence.”

More than 110 students are involved in the show’s production. In addition to the cast, dozens of students participate behind the scenes in various roles including pit orchestra, hair, make-up and costumes. In addition, several are gaining valuable experience in set design and construction as part of the stage crew.

“Students participating in stage crew are partnered with adults to learn about the different aspects of stage crew, and are eventually provided with jobs that we encourage them to take ownership of,” Hunsberger said. “The work ranges from the initial steps of preparing to build a set piece to cutting the pieces out in the scene shop, applying the artwork and painting. This year we have also been able to provide workshop hours for college students working to earn their degree in technical theater.”

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