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By Douglas McCulloch
Hometown Weekly Staff
Students in Thurston Middle’s drama program are busy preparing for their performance of “Cinderella.”
There will be three showing of the classic fairy tale. The show will debut on April 7 at 7 p.m., with a show on April 8 at 7 p.m. and a show on April 9 at 2 p.m.
As the students entered their final week of rehearsals this week, drama director Gina Cosimini noted the students are for the most part well-adjusted to their roles.
Cosimini said the stage crew, actors and actresses and directors are concentrating the most on rehearsing the “magic” of the play – the many technical feats that are necessary to create the illusion of magic throughout the show.
“The thing we are most focused on is creating the magic,” Cosimini said. “We want those magical moments to be amazing.”
When Cosimini was deciding on what play the Thurston Middle drama program would put on this year, she said she was searching for a play with a strong female cast to compliment the actors and actresses in Thurston’s drama program.
“’Cinderella’ stood out to me the most because of the strong female roles it has,” Cosimini said. “For us at Thurston its been on our minds for a long time but we have been waiting for the right time to do it.”
With behind-the-scenes technical work dominating the final week of preparations, the leading roles are busy perfecting their lines and musical scores.
Harley Ursillo plays the lead role of Cinderella, a role she was excited to land because it features one of her favorite songs from the play: Impossible.
Although she is confident in her performance, she did note she had some difficulty getting used to Cinderella’s positive and upbeat personality as she got more and more into her character.
“The hardest part so far has been getting into my character,” Ursillo said. “I have to be very hopeful. I am, but not as much as Cinderella.”
Caroline Cole plays Cinderella’s Fairy Godmother, a role Cole is especially excited to play because of the magic involved.
“I like all the magic that’s involved,” Cole said. “There’s no magic without me in the show.”
Tickets are $10 for students and kids, and $15 for adults. All shows will be presented at the Westwood High auditorium.
