Switch Your Plans To See ‘Freaky Friday’ This Weekend
March 16, 2022 at 4:02 p.m.
Switch Your Plans To See ‘Freaky Friday’ This Weekend
By David [email protected]
“So this is actually a new version,” said Warsaw Community High School theater teacher and director Melany Morris. “There’s the 1970s version, the 2003 version. The Disney+ version is pretty similar to what we’re producing.”
It’s still the mother and daughter switching places, she said, but with a couple added twists and a bunch of musical numbers and choreography.
“It’s set in the modern day, which is awesome because we get to use stuff we already have. Most of the kids costumed themselves,” Morris said.
There are 55 students in “Freaky Friday,” with all of them from WCHS except two who are in middle school to play the younger character of Fletcher.
“That’s been a cool addition to our casting rule. I think people are definitely going to be amazed by our choreography and our sets. It’s very impressive. We’ve spent almost every Saturday in here since January working on this, and our set guys are incredible. It’s really a transformative set, so things just kind of pop out like one of those pop-up storybooks. It’s going to be really cool,” she said.
WCHS Drama Department will present “Freaky Friday” at 7:30 p.m. Friday, 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 2:30 p.m. Sunday in the WCHS Performing Arts Center.
Admission is $15 adults, $10 students and senior citizens. Tickets are on sale in the box office or call 574-371-5040.
Morris said it’s definitely a family show.
“It’s about a mother and daughter finding common ground. They get to spend the day in the other person’s shoes, and then they find out, ‘We’re actually not that different.’ They break through the hard exterior, and, I think, definitely at the end they have a way better relationship than when they started,” Morris said.
The mother - Katherine Blake - is a wedding planner and actually is catering and planning her own wedding at the start of the show. Ellie Blake - the daughter - is a high school student who wants to go on “The Hunt,” a schoolwide scavenger hunt that goes all around Chicago, the city where the musical takes place.
“The main conflict is that both of these events - the rehearsal dinner for the wedding and ‘The Hunt’ - are happening the same night. That’s their main conflict with each other, and then we add the piece of the magic hour glass, which is actually how they switch bodies. It’s not the fortunate cookie like in the 2003 movie. So that’s like an added element that people will get to experience when they come,” Morris explained.
Based on the novel “Freaky Friday” by Mary Rodgers and the Disney films, the musical’s book is by Bridget Carpenter, music by Tom Kitt and lyrics by Brian Yorkey.
As for the music in the show, Morris said, “The music is actually so cool. That’s the reason I picked this show when I first saw it. It’s really modern, upbeat, contemporary definitely. It’s just really cool. It’s like pop.”
There are two sets of casts.
Playing Ellie Blake will be Josie Miller and Alyssa Pena; Katherine Blake will be Natalie Oler and Cayla Harris; Fletcher Blake will be Ethan Schwartz and Sean Smith; Mike will be Ethan Betances and Trevor Ott; Adam will be Davin Broadhurst and Alek Fehlmann; Torrey will be Elena Crawford and Jessica Pogue; Savannah will be Hailey Hershberger and Brynndelyn Wood; Gretchen will be Isa Silva and Alicia Johnson; Hannah will be Aubrey Harp and Lily House; Parker will be Chase Carl and Reagan Kauffman; Wells will be Jason Benyousky and Layla Barker; Laurel will be Jadyn McLeod and Olivia Gabrich; Grandpa Gordon will be Bradyn Lowe and Edward Robison; Grandma Helene will be Rae Polk and Emma Ferguson; Danielle will be Trislynn Lind and Lillian Gunder; Louis will be Luke Henn and Tess Mangun; Dr. Ehrin will be Edward Robison and Ethan Spencer; Mr. Blumen will be Layla Barker and Jason Benyousky; Pastor Bruno will be Reagan Kauffman and Chase Carl; Mrs. Luckenbill will be Wrigley Crabtree and Gracie Luce; Senor O’Brien will be Trevor Ott and Ethan Betances; Ms. Meyers (gym teacher) will be Alexsys Pion Durst and Joel Montoya; Officer Kowalski will be Ethan Spencer and Bradyn Lowe; Officer Sitz will be Vanessa Ochoa and Dee Dee Polk; Mrs. Time will be Emma Ferguson and Rae Polk; and Savannah’s minions will be Dee Dee Polk and Elle Brouwer.
There also will be a large cast of ensemble members.
“So this is actually a new version,” said Warsaw Community High School theater teacher and director Melany Morris. “There’s the 1970s version, the 2003 version. The Disney+ version is pretty similar to what we’re producing.”
It’s still the mother and daughter switching places, she said, but with a couple added twists and a bunch of musical numbers and choreography.
“It’s set in the modern day, which is awesome because we get to use stuff we already have. Most of the kids costumed themselves,” Morris said.
There are 55 students in “Freaky Friday,” with all of them from WCHS except two who are in middle school to play the younger character of Fletcher.
“That’s been a cool addition to our casting rule. I think people are definitely going to be amazed by our choreography and our sets. It’s very impressive. We’ve spent almost every Saturday in here since January working on this, and our set guys are incredible. It’s really a transformative set, so things just kind of pop out like one of those pop-up storybooks. It’s going to be really cool,” she said.
WCHS Drama Department will present “Freaky Friday” at 7:30 p.m. Friday, 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 2:30 p.m. Sunday in the WCHS Performing Arts Center.
Admission is $15 adults, $10 students and senior citizens. Tickets are on sale in the box office or call 574-371-5040.
Morris said it’s definitely a family show.
“It’s about a mother and daughter finding common ground. They get to spend the day in the other person’s shoes, and then they find out, ‘We’re actually not that different.’ They break through the hard exterior, and, I think, definitely at the end they have a way better relationship than when they started,” Morris said.
The mother - Katherine Blake - is a wedding planner and actually is catering and planning her own wedding at the start of the show. Ellie Blake - the daughter - is a high school student who wants to go on “The Hunt,” a schoolwide scavenger hunt that goes all around Chicago, the city where the musical takes place.
“The main conflict is that both of these events - the rehearsal dinner for the wedding and ‘The Hunt’ - are happening the same night. That’s their main conflict with each other, and then we add the piece of the magic hour glass, which is actually how they switch bodies. It’s not the fortunate cookie like in the 2003 movie. So that’s like an added element that people will get to experience when they come,” Morris explained.
Based on the novel “Freaky Friday” by Mary Rodgers and the Disney films, the musical’s book is by Bridget Carpenter, music by Tom Kitt and lyrics by Brian Yorkey.
As for the music in the show, Morris said, “The music is actually so cool. That’s the reason I picked this show when I first saw it. It’s really modern, upbeat, contemporary definitely. It’s just really cool. It’s like pop.”
There are two sets of casts.
Playing Ellie Blake will be Josie Miller and Alyssa Pena; Katherine Blake will be Natalie Oler and Cayla Harris; Fletcher Blake will be Ethan Schwartz and Sean Smith; Mike will be Ethan Betances and Trevor Ott; Adam will be Davin Broadhurst and Alek Fehlmann; Torrey will be Elena Crawford and Jessica Pogue; Savannah will be Hailey Hershberger and Brynndelyn Wood; Gretchen will be Isa Silva and Alicia Johnson; Hannah will be Aubrey Harp and Lily House; Parker will be Chase Carl and Reagan Kauffman; Wells will be Jason Benyousky and Layla Barker; Laurel will be Jadyn McLeod and Olivia Gabrich; Grandpa Gordon will be Bradyn Lowe and Edward Robison; Grandma Helene will be Rae Polk and Emma Ferguson; Danielle will be Trislynn Lind and Lillian Gunder; Louis will be Luke Henn and Tess Mangun; Dr. Ehrin will be Edward Robison and Ethan Spencer; Mr. Blumen will be Layla Barker and Jason Benyousky; Pastor Bruno will be Reagan Kauffman and Chase Carl; Mrs. Luckenbill will be Wrigley Crabtree and Gracie Luce; Senor O’Brien will be Trevor Ott and Ethan Betances; Ms. Meyers (gym teacher) will be Alexsys Pion Durst and Joel Montoya; Officer Kowalski will be Ethan Spencer and Bradyn Lowe; Officer Sitz will be Vanessa Ochoa and Dee Dee Polk; Mrs. Time will be Emma Ferguson and Rae Polk; and Savannah’s minions will be Dee Dee Polk and Elle Brouwer.
There also will be a large cast of ensemble members.
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