Contributor, Julie Keiter, is looking forward to reporting on Bethel Township, NL Drama Club, and a variety of NL Sports.
The Northern Lebanon Drama Club has been working hard to perfect their upcoming performance of Disney’s The Little Mermaid Jr. The musical will include a total of about 70 cast members with students ranging from 7th-12th grade, 13 of which are seniors. Since auditions began in December, it has been all hands on deck for the cast, crew, directors, and families of those involved. A large portion of the production is student-run. From the lights & sound, to costumes and backstage, many students are heavily involved in helping to run the show. The family of directors and cast members are even pitching in to help with costumes, props, or wherever their skills can be of use.
The drama club originally got denied for their request to perform the original The Little Mermaid, so they opted to do the Jr version of the performance, which is a shorter more condensed option. Director, Brooke Bomberger, said the performance will highlight their large number of seniors, so they wanted to take the opportunity to do the Jr version rather than not at all. You will find you and your family singing and dancing along to some of your favorite musical numbers from the Disney film including Under The Sea, Kiss the Girl, She’s in Love, Poor Unfortunate Souls, and so much more! You will not be disappointed with the flashy costumes, stunning handmade sets, and well-rehearsed singing and dancing.
I talked with some of the senior cast members, and it is very evident that the Northern Lebanon Drama Club aims to instill a lifelong appreciation for theater in the lives of the young people. The Drama Club puts great effort into educating and exposing the students on all aspects of theater. They have taken them to shows such as Hair Spray, Legally Blonde, and productions done at the Lebanon Community Theater. Regardless of the path they will be taking in the next steps in their life, all of the seniors plan to keep theater in their lives in one form or another. Most are looking forward to enjoying theater shows regularly. Aside from appreciating theater, the seniors feel they are gaining valuable teamwork and collaboration skills, some even conquering stage fright!
The appreciation for theater and performing overlaps for many of the cast’s dancers. Some of the cast members that are dancers in the show, also dance for Jonestown Dance Studio. Owner of the studio and one of the production directors, Heidi Hubbard, encourages all of her dancers to participate in the Drama Club shows. Having seasoned dancers as cast members, allows the production to be taken to the next level and perform harder more complex routines and dance moves.
Lastly, the NL Drama Club will be hosting a community youth event, Under the Sea Fun with Ariel & Friends, on Saturday February 25 from 10am-12pm. The event will have various activities such as: Under the Sea themed activities, pictures and entertainment by the cast, and face painting. There also will be themed merchandise, hot dogs, baked goods, & drinks available for cash purchase. The event will take place at the NLHS Auditorium Lobby, and tickets will be available at the door for $10 (cash only). Bring the kids out to see their favorite characters and enjoy fun activities!
The Little Mermaid Jr. will be double casted for select parts, with shows running over a 4-day period from Thursday, March 9th to Sunday, March 12th at the Harlan A Daubert Performing Arts Center, located at Northern Lebanon High School, 345 School Drive, Fredericksburg, PA 17026. Show times are as follows: Thursday, March 9th at 7:00pm; Friday, March 10th at 7:00pm; Saturday, March 11th at 7:00pm, and Sunday, March 12th at 1:00pm.
