Riona Hack and Zoe Ulrich shared some mixed emotions. The seniors performed in the lead roles in Rhinebeck High School Drama Club’s production of Disney’s “Freaky Friday.”
“I’m sad it’s my senior year, but I think it went really well. It was the best I could have asked for,” said Hack.
The first of three shows was sold out, and the young actors, dancers and musicians performed before a near capacity crowd over the final two days.
“It was amazing; I’m really sad it’s over,” said Ulrich. “This was perfect for our senior show. It is always sad to finish something you’ve been doing for so long, but I think we made the most of what we had. It was a great finish.”
The seniors enjoyed watching the musical come together and working with cast and crew.
“You get to know everyone and you have a lot of fun,” said Ulrich.
“Freaky Friday” is based on a 2003 Disney family comedy film starring Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan. In the musical, Katherine Blake and her teenage daughter Ellie are constantly arguing and decide to switch bodies and roles.
“The cast, crew and pit all worked together and performed three incredible days of the musical ‘Freaky Friday,’ ” said Laura Natalie, drama club adviser.
Elle Renaldo, play director, added, “The cast and crew had an incredible opening night, and it only got better from there. Each performance was electric and the students had fun. Their joy on stage was contagious. The crew was smooth and quite literally made the show happen. We are so proud of our students.”
This was the second and final drama club production of the 2024-2025 school year. The drama club performed its fall production of “Clue,” based on the board game and the 1985 movie.
Auditions for “Freaky Friday” began before Thanksgiving and nearly 60 students made up the cast and crew. Renaldo enjoyed watching the students grow into their roles.
“Students became their characters and mastered their songs; the crew worked together seamlessly, and each student found their niche and contributed behind the scenes in unique and individual ways,” she said.
“There is nothing like a musical to unite so many students who normally wouldn’t interact in this way. We all went through something together – made something amazing for our community together and the memories will last a lifetime.”
Cast: Zoe Ulrich, Riona Hack, Josie Rourke, Seamus Hagen, Mike Trayse Kasnia-Herman, Elliot Vansteenburg, Daphne Tamm, Amaia Hayes, Francisca Dickens, Joslan Carter, McKinley Gentile, Sarah Coggeshall, Dustin Page, Kate Woods, Annabelle Allman, Valentina Dickens, River Enschede, Claire Frischknecht, Jennifer Cruz, Luis Gijon Pablo, Mackenzie Masserone, Kathryn McCloskey, Kellianne Erdman, Nina Smith.
Mixed student and adult pit orchestra: Marla Ulrich (conductor), Daniel Conroy, Lucy Fleming, Shea Gallagher, Jaelyn Twitchell, Kamyar Kemp, Chiara Giammatteo, Matt Ulrich, Alan Raitt, Samala Rubin, Mark Roman, Jason Gisby-Hanks, Brandon Martinez.
Special appearance, BMS Show Choir: Daniel Conroy (adviser), Skye D’Ordine, Janey D’Ordine, Aya Nobel, Mela Palms, Jasmine Weed, Skye Weed, Willow Weed, Shanell Widyarathna.
Adult production team: Elle Renaldo, Maia Weiss, Sondra Loring, Daniel Conroy, Marla Ulrich, Melissa Coggeshall, Lee Walis, Nick Hawrylko, Braden Rhetts, Brian Tamm, Betsy Rourke, Laura Natalie.