NEW ROCHELLE, NY — Ten New Rochelle High School students made the most of a great opportunity this week when they were treated to an exclusive visit with the producers of the upcoming Broadway show “The Prom.”
The students interviewed producers Jack Lane, Joe Grandy and Andrew Kuhlman, recorded the session, took video of the Longacre Theatre and found New Yorkers and tourists outside the theater to speak with on camera. They are now fashioning their recordings of the day into several videos.
“The trip was phenomenal,” said junior Maddie Bamberger. “We got to take B-roll outside and we got to do man-on-the-street interviews.”
They also chatted with a couple of the actors, and interviewed one star, Christopher Sieber, who is known for being the original Lord Farquaad in the Broadway show “Shrek The Musical,” and for television shows including “It’s All Relative” and “Two of a Kind.”
In “The Prom,” four Broadway thespians travel to Indiana to help a high school student who has run into resistance by inviting her girlfriend to the big senior dance. In previews now, it is scheduled to open Nov. 15.
On Monday, one of Bamberger’s roles was to find people on the street for her classmates to interview and record.
“There were a lot of people who said some really insightful things and put some thought into their answers,” she said. “That was really awesome to hear.”
Anthony Stirpe, the teacher who led the trip, let the students manage the project themselves.
“They were amazing – truly professional,” Stirpe said. “The producers said their behavior and professionalism went way beyond what they expected – and what they have seen in other groups.”
After conducting their interviews and capturing video, the students were joined by 52 schoolmates and eight chaperones, who all got to attend a preview performance.
NRHS was the only school invited to the preview, which was a special performance for director and choreographer Casey Nicholaw. With “The Prom,” he will have four shows running on Broadway simultaneously. He is also the director of “Aladdin,” “Book of Mormon” and “Mean Girls.” The preview was held on a Monday – a night off for many shows – so that cast members of Nicholaw’s other productions could attend.