THE EPHRATA REVIEW

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2012 B3

Playmakers lay big bet on the spring musical Guys and Dolls
Actors prepare to Rock the Boat for this years upcoming show
by Casandra Aminto

Ms. Robb looks up from the piano bench to Maegan Weinhold, a freshman. The song they are working on is Ill Know. Weinhold gets to the difficult part-the high note. She hits it and smiles. This is Weinholds first show at the high school and playing the role of Sarah Brown in Guys and Dolls is a challenge. Everythings challenging, it has to be sung well and in character, said Weinhold. The hardest is Ill Know because its so high, but my favorite is If I Were a Bell because I get to utilize my lower register. Guys and Dolls is a theatre classic composed by Frank Loesser. It involves a group of gamblers, the Save our Soul mission and a trip to Havana. The two main gamblers, Sky Masterson played by Ian Brady, a sophomore, and Nathan Detroit played by Evan Hinkley, a senior, make a bet as to whether or not Sky can get Sarah to go to Havana with him. Despite this being Weinholds first high school show, she says she is excited to have this role. Im ecstatic, thankful, excited, determined, Weinhold said. While Sky is trying to get Sarah to go to Havana with him, Nathan is looking for a place to hold his floating crap game. At the same time he is trying to keep his fiance of 14 years happy. Adelaide played by Aubree Robitzer, a senior, is getting impatient to marry Nathan. In fact she believes that Nathans fear of commitment has caused her an illness, a psychological cold. Nathans sidekick, Nicely Nicely Johnson played by Patrick Pettus, tries his best to help Na-

Emily Brubaker, a sophomore, Alex Kupp, a senior, Maegan Weinhold, a freshman, and Ian Brady, a sophomore rehearse a scene during musical practice. These playmakers, along with the rest of the cast, have all been working to prepare for the showing of Guys and Dolls. photo by Patricia Saye

than, but Nicelys best is rarely good enough. Nicely mostly takes care of what Nathan needs, but it doesnt really work, said Pettus. Nicely does come through at the end, though, singing the shows 11 oclock number, Sit Down Youre Rocking the Boat. Im excited, but Im nervous. Sit Down Youre Rocking the Boat is a big song, said Pettus.

Guys and Dolls features a number of memorable songs including Ive Never Been in Love Before, Take Back Your Mink, and, of course, Luck be a Lady. The Cocalico Playmakers will be presenting the show March 16 at 7 p.m., March 17 at 7 p.m., and March 18 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $5.00 each and can be purchased at the door or reserved by e-mailchris_beiler@cocalico.org.

A spaghetti dinner will be held before the Saturday March 17 show from 4:30-7 p.m. Tickets for the dinner are $7.00 for adults; $5.00 for students and seniors; and children 3 and under are free. For dinner ticket information, call 336-1413. Dinner tickets are available in the High School Attendance Office and the District Central Office.

Festival brings together bands

Jazz ensemble travels to perform
by Rebecca Kase

Since 1975, athletes have dedicated many hours of their time in what is currently Cocalico High Schools gymnasium. Since the 2010-2011 school year, construction on the new gym has been an ongoing process. The new gym is scheduled to be finished in April of this year. The construction is bittersweet for athletes who have played many games in the current gym. Im glad the next generation gets to enjoy the new facility, but its disappointing I missed it by one year, said Lauren Waskowitz, a senior, and captain of the Varsity girls basketball team. There are many memories from the current gym that both present and past athletes will carry with them. My junior and senior year we went to states for basketball, said Miss Courtney Hall, Cocalico graduate and current math teacher at the school. Theres something about that gym. Its classic. graphic by Emily Bowman and Rebecca Kase

Walking by the band room, people normally hear the sound of marches and what is considered to be more traditional music. However, it is now that time of year when the jazz ensemble has taken over the band room, bringing a different style of music into the scene. The jazz ensemble is a little different from the other ensembles. Besides being the smallest group with no more than 20 students on average, those who want to join are asked to audition for the directors, Mr. Trescavage and Mr. Boots. In terms of measuring up to the expectations of those students this year, nothing has really come as a surprise. Its more challenging, but I sort of expected that going in, said Emily Sensenig, a sophomore and first time member. Sensenig is one of five trumpets in jazz band. When joining jazz band, some students take the option to switch the instrument that they play, in order to make the band more complete. Another member of the trumpet section, Ian Brady, did just that. Going from french horn to trumpet is about the same difficulty level as far as learning it in general. However, trumpet is easier to pick up and just play than the french horn is, explained Brady. This years jazz band has five students that make up the trumpet section, six students creating a trombone line, five students forming the saxophone section, and five students in the rhythm section.

Alex Dillon, a junior in his third year of playing with the jazz band, plays the drums in the rhythm section. Unlike playing percussion in symphonic band, being a drummer in jazz band requires the use of a set. Usually included in this is a bass drum, a snare, two or three toms and an assortment of cymbals. My favorite song was one we played last year called Tiger of San Pedro, said Dillon. I had a percussion solo and it was cool to be the center of attention. Dillon prefers playing drum set for jazz band because it is more enjoyable than playing drums in any other band. The jazz ensemble is unique in more ways than one. Not only is the style of music different, but the types of performances are as well. In a traditional concert, theres usually only one school involved. However some high schools hold jazz festivals, which is where seven or eight jazz bands from different schools come together to play. On March 2nd, the jazz ensemble will be traveling out to Conestoga Valley High School to participate in their annual jazz festival. Its going to be a new experience, performing in a jazz festival, said Sensenig. Im excited to get to see the other schools bands. Plus, jazz is enjoyable to listen to. So from the band room to the stage at Conestoga Valley High School, the jazz ensemble is working hard to produce a group worthy of remembering.