Thursday, February 6th, Ms. Lange’s Journalism and English Honors classes, as well as Ms. Barnes’ Advanced Choir class, took a trip downtown to see Blues in the Night at the Arizona Theatre Company. The play features an all-black cast, just in time for Black History Month.
The show runs about 2 hours, with a 15-minute intermission in between acts. The 1st act includes 16 songs, while the 2nd only includes 11. During intermission, sophomore Emma Vorasane shared, “My favorite thing is probably how they show how the storyline changed, like for example, they show like the train traveling, how the younger girl first got there, how they live in the same dorm but unknowingly got played by the same man.”
Once the musical came to an end, the floor was opened for questions for the actors. One student asked, “What was your guys’ favorite song that you’ve done in this?” Actress Camryn Hamm replied, “I think it would have to be Blues in the Night, it’s such a powerful moment. It’s the one where we come out at the beginning of Act Two and are sitting down facing you the whole time. And to me, it’s such a symbol of the resistance that we, as Black people, have experienced and continue to show in our everyday life.” When all questions were answered, junior Alayah Briscoe shared, “I thought their voices were really beautiful and they projected really well and it made me want to be in a musical so bad actually.”
Once arriving back to Sahuaro, students sang the musical’s praises. “I liked all the dancing and how inspiring all the music was and to watch them all perform,” sophomore Mackenzie Salmen remarked. Even one of our chaperones, Ms. Krieg, said, “It was amazing, the music, the singing, the acting, all of it, it was just absolutely amazing.” After entering Ms. Lange’s classroom, students had an opportunity to write a thank you note to Mr. Estrella. Finally, ingredients for a PB&J and crackers were provided for the voracious teens.
Set in 1930s Chicago, Blues in the Night is a musical directed by Ricardo Khan This play explores the feelings of love, heartbreak, and everything in between using blues ballads. It follows three women and one man accompanied by a live band on stage. ATC states, “Blues in the Night shows that the blues, like the human spirit, never fades – instead, it grows more powerful with time.” The show incorporates classic musicians such as Duke Ellington, Bessie Smith, Johnny Mercer, and countless others.
The cast stars Darryl Reuben Hall as The Man in The Saloon, April Nixon as The Woman Of The World, Camryn Hamm as The Girl With A Date, and Roz White as The Lady From The Road. The live band consisted of William Foster McDaniel, Dylan DeRobertis, Land Richards, Ross Daniels, and Michael Weiss. “I love that it’s focused on music, I think having a live band on stage really adds to it and they’re really good and it just makes the show more lively,” senior Mia Payette commented.
ATC is a wonderful theatre company whose shows our school has attended many times. Make sure to go check them out sometime, you won’t regret it!
