Tis the season…for high school musicals

Tonight, I’ll be in the audience at Pike High School taking a decidedly uncritical look at "Guys and Dolls,"
featuring two of my daughters. I’m a big booster of such productions and I’m thrilled that so many schools remain committed
to this, for many, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity (okay, if you get in as a freshman, maybe four-in-a-lifetime opportunity).

It’s also a rare opportunity for many members of the audience. Based on what I’ve seen and experienced, the high school
musical is the only time many ticket buyers will be seeing an actual theater production.

My passion for theater and
other performing arts was gestated during my time on or near the stage in my high school auditorium. I’m indebted to my high
school drama director Maria Iaconangelo and the administrations that allowed her to do her work — even though they got a
bit nervous when they actually saw "Sweet Charity" and grasped what line or work the lead was sorta-kinda in. And
I still think about performances by the likes of Jay Craven, George Wetherby, Nancy Ferry and others whose names you wouldn’t
know if you didn’t go to Wildwood High School.

I’m sure many readers of this blog also developed a passion for the arts
while participating in high school.

So, as a former Jonathan ("Arsenic and Old Lace"), Captain ("Mr.
Roberts"), Kinicke ("Grease"–ugh), and Pepe/Offstage voice of Maria’s father AND mother ("West Side Story"),
I welcome you to:

a.) Share your own high school memories here, and

b.) Plug your local high school’s upcoming
production.

Your thoughts?