After months and months of preparation, the WHSDS have finally announced the show dates for the fall musical, Six, only a few weeks from today! A little overview of the show, The six ex-wives of King Henry VIII of England, and their attempts to reclaim their identities from the King’s shadow. Filled to the brim with a mix of humorous and sarcastic tones, balances perfectly with the catchy songs and the exponential combinations of dances! The entire base time of the show is set in 16th century England and adds some historical context which adds the perfect amount of spice to the soup we call the show! This is the perfect show for anyone wishing to keep your friends occupied and busy and I hope to see you there!  Enough on the Overview, I had a chance to talk to the director for this magical musical, Mrs.Calinda. 

DW: What is the show mostly about and what were some struggles while rehearsing?

Calinda: The show the show is about the six wives of Henry VIII but it is told from their perspectives because history has mostly told us what they were like in relation to being a wife to Henry VIII.  There haven’t been that many struggles as we have been rehearsing sometimes it’s difficult to work with scheduling as some students work and have other responsibilities but mostly it’s been pretty smooth sailing so far.

DW:What is the main point and theme of this show?

Calinda: I think the main theme of the show is just about sort of taking back your own power as an individual like realizing that you’re an amazing unique individual on your own and you can stand on your own and I don’t know carve your own path in life. 

DW: What are you looking most for in the set designs?

Calinda: Well I’m very excited that we have a new technical director named Amanda she is a former student of mine a former drama Society crew member and she is amazing and she has great attention to detail she has great work ethics so I think the set is going to be beautiful and everything will be perfect about it I’m also excited for the lighting because Lila is a really great lighting designer and I think she has a lot of interesting things planned plus the show is very colorful so the lighting can correspond with all the colors. 

DW:What advice do you have for people who are interested in joining the WHSDS?

Calinda: Say that the Winthrop High School drama Society is a very inclusive organization. I think we welcome everybody we love to have new members we’re interested in having people join us who are interested in technical things we’re interested in performance-based things there’s many different opportunities throughout the year to do all different types of shows so I would just encourage people if you have any interest just come by see what it’s about even if you just do one show this year then maybe next year you’ll want to be involved in two shows and so on and so on but it’s not something that you want to wait to do cuz you might regret not doing it sooner. 

DW: What is your favorite part of the show SO FAR?

Calinda: Ooh that’s very hard I really do love the opening number and though we haven’t done a lot of it I really do love the closing numbers of the show I think both sort of the beginning and the end bookend the show so nicely they they both involve the six queens and I think each one of those women is really strong in their own right and when they work together it’s pretty awesome. 

As said in the previous interview, there is always a place for you in the WHSDS for anyone interested in joining the cast & crew! The show sounds like it’s going to be a great show, and I look forward to seeing the full show when it’s completed. This is a very fun show by the looks of it and I highly advise you to go see it with friends, and family! This is a show for everyone to see and we put so much effort into this! Now we have a special interview from 4 of the SIX QUEENS THEMSELVES!! Starring Holly Nimblett as Cathrine of Argon, Chelsea Long as Anne of Cleves, Jillian Buonopane as Kathrine Howard, and Emily Walker as Cathrine Parr! So let’s hop right into it!

 Donovan Wein: What were some struggles while rehearsing?

Holly Nimblett: A struggle for me during rehearsal was definitely confidence and finding my version of Catherine of Aragon. I feel like Aragon has such a loud and big personality, where I feel like that’s not exactly what my personality is like. So it was definitely a bit of a challenge trying to find her within myself, it took a lot of research and some trial and error but I think I’m finding her!

Jillian Buonapane: It has definitely been a challenge building the stamina for singing and dancing all at once. Although it may not appear tough as actors are professional at masking the difficulty, belting out high notes while practically doing cardio is far from easy. Additionally, truly knowing and memorizing the different harmonies for each song has been quite the challenge as well, though we are working hard to improve!

Emily Walker: Some struggles I’ve had during rehearsals are definitely trying to sing and dance at the same time, all while remembering that I have a microphone in my hand that needs to be near my mouth at all times in order to be heard. 

Chelsea Long: The biggest struggle while rehearsing, in my opinion, has simply been getting used to the simultaneous acting, dancing, and singing. There are so many different aspects that go into a great performance. The other queens and I have to constantly pay attention to our correct lines, vocal notes, and choreography, while also sticking to the essence of our character’s individual personality– which can be super difficult to do all at once.

DW: If you had to pick one point, Which point do you think people would like the most?

HN: Honestly, I think people are really going to like “Haus of Holbein.” It is such a fun number with a lot of fun moments. The whole cast is having a blast doing it on stage so I think the audience is going to feel that energy and really enjoy the number!

JB: Picking out one part of the musical that people may like the most is extremely difficult, as I believe the entire show will be amazing with the upbeat music, and the constant singing and dancing. To name one, I believe the number “Haus of Holbein” will be a crowd favorite. The song is fast-paced, short and sweet, has a funny dance, interesting dialect, and cool costumes!

EW: I really think people are going to love “Haus of Holbein.” I don’t want to give too much away but it’s super upbeat and just completely over the top! 

CL: If I had to pick one point in the show that people would like the most, it’d definitely be “Haus of Holbein.” It’s a super energetic number and the entire cast is included. We all dance and sing with so much enthusiasm, and all the lyrics are said with an exaggerated German accent, which is absolutely hilarious. I think it’ll definitely be a crowd favorite.

DW: This show seems like it will be a really great show so far.  What’s your favorite part?

HN: My favorite part about the show so far is probably the bond within the cast. I feel like the six of us have formed a really nice bond so that makes rehearsals a whole bunch of fun!

JB: Working with such a committed group of actresses has by far been my favorite part of this experience. It has been refreshing having the ability to bounce ideas off one another and work our absolute hardest to perform our best. We have put in an incredible amount of time, energy, and effort, as we are striving for the best performance possible. The work environment has been extremely comfortable and welcoming, and as we enter the last few weeks of rehearsals we continue to pull apart the show and ensure all numbers and scenes are top-tier. 

EW: My favorite part of the show is either the opening number or the “Haus of Holbein.” They’re both so lively and upbeat! I can’t wait to perform it LIVE!

CL: This has been such a wonderful show to be a part of! Mrs. Calinda is the most amazing director and mentor. Our music director, Ms. Katie Houstle, and our choreographer, Ms. Jaime Montesano, have also been immensely helpful. So far, my favorite part has simply been spending time with the other actresses who play the queens– Holly, Juliet, Josie, Jillian, and Emily. The six of us have had rehearsals nearly every day since the start of the school year, so it’s been quite the bonding experience. All of them have so much talent– it’s astonishing. I have had so much fun being able to work with them and watch them shine as performers.

DW: Do you have any advice for incoming Drama Society members?

HN: I would probably say that my advice is to be confident and just have fun! If you’re confident and just trust yourself it will definitely pay off. Then just have fun with it! If you’re not having fun then why are you doing it? 

JB: To any incoming Drama Society members, make sure to always put yourself out there, and do not hold back – especially when it comes to acting. Although it may seem silly and daunting at times, your theater experience will be much more worth your while if you commit yourself, and constantly put your best foot forward. Furthermore, for anyone who isn’t in drama and may be interested or looking for a club to join, the WHS Drama Society’s doors are always open! There is absolutely a spot for you whether it’s costume design, lighting, sound, or being a part of the cast.

EW: The only advice I can give you is to enjoy your time! Do everything with the most enthusiasm and passion ever! Whether it be a leading role or supporting role, every person it’s important to the show! Just go out there and have fun! 

CL: The advice I’d give to any incoming Drama Society members is that these shows will undoubtedly be the most fun aspect of your entire high school career. We do take these performances seriously, so in the moment, things may feel incredibly stressful… However, the shows are so incredibly rewarding in the end. Throughout my time in the Drama Society, I’ve made countless amazing memories and met so many friends. Mrs. Calinda is the greatest mentor; she’s not only taught me how to be a better performer, but she’s also taught me how to be a better person!

Well, there you have it, 4 of the 6 queens of the royal musical Six. I hope to see you all there a week from Thursday! It is a funny show for all ages and family or not, you should come to see it on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, that’s the 14th-16th at 7 pm. This show is going to turn out phenomenal and that’s all that matters! Now a word from the crew featuring a somewhat new member by the name of Alby Diaz!!

Donovan Wein: What was the hardest part about the crew and what are some of the positive things about it?

Alby Diaz: Considering that I’m a freshman, and this is my first time doing tech in high school, I would say it’s quite a change in middle school rather than here. Mainly because in middle school, [it didn’t] require any “hard work”, and by hard work, I mean doing harder jobs like cutting wood. With either a jigsaw or a chop-saw, both of which are quite dangerous tools, and using a sander. All three machines always need to be taken seriously in the hands of anyone, because they are very dangerous tools. I saw that the hardest part of the crew for me is me doing the carpentry. Only for this reason I have to be quite precise when it comes to cutting wood. I love cutting wood though, which is kinda funny if I’ll be honest. The positive aspect of the crew, or tech, is that everyone is really friendly and especially our managers being very friendly, Amanda, Julia. James, all of which to hear and play 20 questions with me, considering I’m always asking some sort of question. 

DW: Crew is a vital role in the world of theater, why did you choose crew over cast and why?

AD: I have an incredibly simple answer for that then. I’m horrible at remembering things, especially when it comes to things like theater. Also for the reason, it’s six queens, not five queens and one king. I also chose it because I think it will be great to actually know how to work sound since I’m the sound assistant.

DW: While tech week is bearing upon us, what do you expect from others and not yourself?

AD: What I mostly expect from other people is to just listen, try not to multitask, especially if you’re new to tech in high school. I think this mainly since and for the reason that tech week is a very serious week for everyone in tech since it’s the week of the show, so everyone needs to focus and lock in for the show to be great.

DW: While working on the set, what is the hardest part of the SET to create and what were some mishaps while doing so?

AD: really from what it seems to be the hardest part is the lighting aspect, and this is only because we’ve been having some technical issues with the lighting. Although we will overcome this obstacle during tech week. 

Well, either cast or crew, there’s definitely a place for you in the WHSDS, this is a wonderful idea if you either have a lot of free time or are just looking for something to do after a long day of schoolwork and tests and a whole lot of other things that will change your opinion throughout the year! As everyone else said, this musical not only has me on pins and needles but I bet you will too. This is 100% going to be worth seeing and we would like to thank everyone who helped make this possible! We would like to thank Ms. Calinda for directing this entire show, our new technical director Amanda, Julia Ford for helping us with designs while Amanda was out, Alby Diaz, Ray Todi, Mason Wheatly, James Stangle, Leila Jurovich, Oliver Pocknett, and more for helping with the set and all our technical students and workers.