“A Senior Spectacular” and Pirate Pride!

Consider me timbers shivered after attending “A Senior Spectacular” last Friday. The show at Pearl River High School featured every pirate trope in the book, from parrots, to planks, to classic sea shanties and kept me captivated from start to finish.

Written and directed by Tom Price, an art teacher in the district, the show was a completely original work. The most interesting aspect? The complete lack of dialogue. Price challenged his students to embody expression through movements alone, and for an hour and a half, their bodies became instruments to the students’ original pirate-themed spectacular.

Assistant Director Elizabeth Kurzawa said, “I think that there’s an art to telling a story through movement without saying any words.”

Although there was no speaking, “A Senior Spectacular” brought fun and drama to the high school stage. Price noted that he encouraged his 20 students to improvise throughout the rehearsal process and welcomed all of their creative ideas, making the show a collaborative piece. Through Price’s keen direction, students danced their hearts out, performed magic tricks, and even got a few members of the administration to transform into puppets to keep their audience entertained.

My favorite aspect of “A Senior Spectacular” was how much fun the actors had on stage. Their joy was contagious and brought the audience aboard the world of their pirate ship. One student, Aidan McNaughton, encapsulated the experience by saying, “If you’re going to do anything, do it 100%.”

I was blown away by the beautiful and elaborate set design, which had been created through the weeks-long efforts of Price, Kurzawa, and Andrew Didonato, on lighting design. “It truly was a collaboration across all departments,” Price said. Additionally, Price designed and created almost every costume piece. His contributions of props, set, and costume designing were crucial instruments to the student’s story telling.

It’s show season here in Rockland! If you’re looking for something fun and different to do on a night out while supporting local school districts, be sure to keep a lookout for shows in your area.