McNicholas High School’s production of The Addams Family: A New Musical Comedy is set to premiere on Thursday, Jan. 28, and run through Sunday, Jan. 31, at the Anderson Center.
The cast and crew for the musical consists of McNick’s student body directed by theater teacher Teresa De Zarn. De Zarn, a graduate of the McNicholas Class of 1976 enlisted the help of other alumni to help make this year’s musical a success. The alumni assisting with this year’s musical include Sarah Frank-Fogarty (’78), Kelly Corken (’77), Jerry Wiesenhahn (‘78), Carolyn Semancik (’76), and Mary Kay Puttman Wiesenhahn (’71). The alumni have returned to help in all aspects of the show, from choreographing to ads for the program. “I appreciate their willingness to give back to their alma mater with their vast wells of talent and their precious time. It has been a lot of fun working with this creative team and realizing they are as delightful as they were years ago. I am grateful for all they have brought to the project,” De Zarn said.
Semancik, a classmate of De Zarn’s, has helped with McNick’s theater since their production of Cats three years ago. During her time at McNick, she was in The King and I as well as other one acts. With this production, she is helping Corken secure props for the show. Frank-Fogarty has also helped with musicals in the past and returned this time as a choreographer. She said that she enjoys working on the shows, and she enjoys working closely with and renewing her friendship with De Zarn. In addition to attending McNick together, the two studied dance together in their youth, and she praises De Zarn as an accomplished artist. “You just don’t get a chance to work with someone of her caliber that often,” Frank-Fogarty said.
The two also reflected on their time as McNick students and how the school has changed. “I’m happy to say that I believe that McNicholas is essentially the same school I loved so many years ago. It’s very important to me that Catholic values remain at the core of the school,” Frank-Fogarty said. She said that her experience at McNick was great, and she’s happy that she’s remained connected with the friends she formed during her high school year. “I look around and see students having so much fun together, and I hope they too stay connected. It’s a wonderful community to be a part of,” she said.
They also reflected on the physical changes of McNick. Frank-Fogarty mentioned the addition of Paradise and the Auxiliary Gym, and praised the updates in the café, theater department, and technology department. Semancik also noted how the size of the student body has shrunken some, but the convent is now used in many different ways and the students are no longer taught by the Sisters of Saint Joseph and some Archdiocesan priests. All in all, Semancik and Frank-Fogarty said that they thoroughly enjoyed their time as McNick students. Semancik’s siblings and children are McNick graduates and her daughter, Michelle Semancik (’03), is a current teacher in the Social Studies Department.
Opening night for The Addams Family: A New Musical Comedy is set for Thursday, Jan. 28, and according to Semancik and Frank-Fogarty, the cast and crew will be ready. “[They] are on schedule with the show and will be ready to perform on opening night. They are all working very hard,” Semancik said. “We have an incredibly talented cast and crew. It’s such a fun show – the music feels current and there is some great humor in the story,” Frank-Fogarty added. She continued, saying that the main problem they will face is having to adjust to the larger stage at the Anderson Center. “It can be challenging, but our cast is in great shape, so they should be able to handle some curve balls, which will happen. That’s show business,” she said. The two encourage everyone to attend the show, and promise that they’ll love it.
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