Drood takes musicals to new heights

Francesca DeRosa
Reporter

This year’s winter musical, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, will be the first NCHS production in which the actors literally take to the air.

Though it lasts only briefly, a few members of the cast will be hoisted into the air by a system of pulleys, which are manned by a troop of athletic students recruited especially for the purpose. The scene is played out with graceful somersaults and a lot of effort by the crew pulling the ropes.

“We share the load,” said senior Sam Lavieri. “We each support half of the weight, but it gets pretty heavy, especially when they get farther towards the other side of the stage.”

The process is not only a new experience for the rope crew, but also for the actors. “You’re in the harness, so it feels more constrained,” said senior Charlotte Fager, who will be playing Edwin Drood. “You have to get the hang of it, but when you do it’s not that different from being on the ground. You’re not actually that high up.”

Senior Jelani Alladin, John Jasper in the musical, agrees that the harness comes with restrictions. “You have to make your movements really dramatic,” he said. “You have to really concentrate on where your body is.”

But the real excitement is for the cast members who get the rare chance to “fly”. “We knew it was going to happen for a while,” Jelani said. “We were really excited for the opportunity.”

The Mystery of Edwin Drood will be flying into the Lapham Auditorium on March 11.