FHS Students to Tell Tale as Old as Time

Marianne Lonati, director and the choreographer of the annual musical, will be sad to see the 12 seniors in this Spring’s production of Beauty and the Beast graduate.
“I have 12 seniors, and the majority have been with me since 6th grade,” says Lonati. She adds that many of them, however, including “Belle” (Maya Dechenis) ‘Beast’ (Calvin Castaneda) and ‘Lumiere’ (Andrew Rizoli) are all going to school to study theatre and music.”
The cast also includes: Adam Duval “Maurice,” Dan Schratz “Gaston,” Emily Hathaway “Lefou,” Daniel McCarthy “Cogsworth,” Mary Pfeifle “Mrs. Potts,” Becca Kenney “Madame de La Grande Bouche,” Morgan Peterson “Babette,” Caroline Fabian “Chip,” Gabriel DeBenedict “Monsieur D’Arque,” Alexa Katsaros, Nyna Pendkar and Meilissa Reinertson as “Silly Girls,” Griffin Fenton “Bookseller,” and Kathleen Cadorette “Baker.”
In al, about 40 students are involved in this spring’s musical, plus art students who paint scenery and others who act as crew backstage. Students also learn selling ads for programs and fundraising outside stores.
“We’re very self sufficient, although it’s a school program,” says Lonati. “We fundraise our own money and put the show on ourselves. I do bring in a sound person and a lighting person, professional people,” she says. Kids in this production even do their own makeup.
“I have to say Franklin residents are incredibly generous, in terms of supporting us and giving us money for tagging,” says Lonati. “And businesses are wonderful taking ads out in the program.” The process, she says, builds confidence in the kids. In fact, says Lonati, “I believe public speaking should be a requirement in high school, because it’s becoming a lost art.”
Professional musicians also play alongside students in the orchestra, who include: Alanna Brunell, Kathleen Cadorette, Gabriel DeBenedict, Caroline Fabian, Griffin Fenton, Devyn Forcina, Abigail George, Julie Harrington, Ryan Havican, Gabriella Inman, Dakota Jones, Jillian Jones, Alexa Katsaros, Kerry Lambert, Sara Lombardi, Alanna Lynch, Megan Newton, Nyna Pendkar, Shannon Pinkham, Melissa Reinertson, Evelyn Simmons, Kristina Stayanova, Amanda Tardif, Nathan Towne, Rhiannon Towne, Maddy Walker and Emily Whalen.
Rehearsals for the show started in January.
“In January, it’s not everybody every day,” says Lonati, “One day it will be just the ensemble learning the pieces. One day it will be the leads singing. But eventually it is four days a week fro everybody when we get closer to the show.”
These rehearsals, to Lonati, are “the best part of high school theatre.”
“It’s very social for the kids. They end up forming a little family. I watch friendships grow. They have so much fun together. It’s a happy part of my day, being at rehearsals with these kids.”
It’s not all about work, says Lonati.
“I want them to play. That’s what it is. That’s why we go into it. If it’s not fun, there’s no point in doing it,” she says.
Tickets for Beauty and the Beast, at Franklin High School on April 8 and 9 at 7 p.m., are $10 apiece.