Cherry Hill High School East - Eidolon Yearbook (Cherry Hill, NJ)

Page 211 text:

The Pit Orchestra is a wonderful accompani- ment to the sights, sounds, drama and excite- ment of FUNNY GIRL. This group of talent- ed and dedicated musicians, conducted by Mr. Bruce Yurko. practices every day after school in order to achieve perfection and excellence for each performance. As an ensemble, they work with the actors, singers and dancers by creating the mood that involves the audience in the entire production. They conjure up an atmosphere which makes the show living theatre. Dressed in tuxes and formal wear, the orches- tra contributes to the professional image of the production as they provide a regal look and their music is nothing less than inspiring. Not always given the recognition that they so richly deserve, the pit orchestra plays an im- portant role in the success of East’s annual Spring musical production.

Page 210 text:

Without the production and technical crews, the presentation of Funny Girl would not be possible. There are many people involved with coordinat- ing and bringing the musical to life. The stage crew is in charge of the lighting, props, spotlights, and microphones and they help to bring alive and enhance the sights and sounds of the show. Cos- tumes and make-up are essential parts of the pre- sentation. Long hours are spent trying to decide which clothing fits the storyline and which colors look best on stage. Make-up artists must select the right hues and shades to illuminate the faces of the actors and dancers. Choreography is an- other important part of the production. The dancers work hard to learn the routines and per- form them in unison. The set designers and build- ers must go through weeks of planning in order to create the right scenery. They then construct the elaborate sets and, along with the stage crew, learn how to operate them and conduct quick changes between scenes. None of these produc- tion groups can work alone and they must all collaborate and consult with each other. The strength of the musical is in its parts as well as in sum product. Then, together with the actors and musicians, they join to form a successful and professional production of Funny Girl.

Page 212 text:

Words can’t begin to describe the amount of preparation needed to pro- duce a spring musical at East. Not only do you need talented actors and chorus members, but also musicians, hard- working crew members, and a team of qualified instructors of the caliber of Nation. Yurko, Weaver, Haynes, and McKenzie. All of these groups must work together, combine talent, and pre- sent the perfection and professionalism that East audiences have come to ex- pect. This year’s musical. FUNNY GIRL, was no different from other memorable productions as it showcased the abili- ties of the dancers, actors, musicians, and crew members at East. Let’s face it. These people are dedicated. They de- vote several weeks to memorizing lines, songs, and steps; to blocking scenes; to constructing sets; and to rehearsing even into the wee hours of the night. Why all the hard work? Why do they give up their afternoons and evenings to stay after school, only to come back ex- hausted the next day? Well, only after seeing and enjoying an East show can you realize that all the hustle and bustle and marathon re- hearsals do indeed pay off as the cur- tain goes up and as the audience waits in anticipation. Only then do the tire- less efforts of the many people involved in every aspect of the show become evi- dent. but in a very different, stream- lined form. The total effect is the theat- rical magic that transport the audience to a different world enabeling them to suspend disbelief and lose themselves for a thrilling moment, the moment when reality fades and the magic begins to work.