'Right Time' for Local Students to Take on Broadway Classic

To take on a Broadway classic like "Les Misérables," evereything has to fall into place. 

"It is absolutely the right time for it," said Tony Ciccotelli, director of the play at the Ocean County Vocational Technical School (OCVTS) Performing Arts Academy (PAA). "On a technical level, we have the most boys we ever had who can sing. We can actually do a revolution.”

The academy will present "Les Misérables" on Feb. 24, 25 and 26 at the historic Strand Center for the Performing Arts, 400 Clifton Ave. in Lakewood. The cast and crew have been rehearsing since the end of November and Ciccotelli said that all of their hard work will pay off.

“[The audience] can expect a polished production, students who are ready to enter the world of musical theater. We have some of the most amazing performers … way beyond the high school level,” he said. 

Once teachers decided to do "Les Misérables" and started researching it, they realized a similar occurance is happening right now in Egypt.“It’s a learning experience for the students about the play and its relevance,” said Ciccotelli, who also is a teacher at the Lakehurst-based academy.

He had production coordinator Laura Grande-Hill look for pictures of current uprisings in Egypt. “I’m bringing it in to show students that this actually happens. History repeats itself," Ciccotelli said.

Plus, "Les Misérables" also happens to be one of Ciccotelli’s favorite musicals. “The music, the scope of the drama. I love it. The emotion behind that story is just incredible,” he said. “I think it’s universal and I’m perpetually blown away by that musical.”

Although Ciccotelli does have his hands in all aspects of the production, he can’t produce the play all on his own. Grande-Hill also helps with schedules, sets and costumes. Bill Burke is the school’s tech teacher and will serve as tech director for the production. Mary Huhmann is the music director and conductor as well as the props manager. The choreography is done by Melissa Sells, who also coordinates meetings with Jeff Reim, the set designer, and Rob Golvases, the builder, to get the sets together.

There also will be close to 70 students involved with the production. About 50 will be in the cast, and around 20 are part of the crew. There will be so many kids, Ciccotelli joked, that he won’t know what to do with them and they will be hanging from the ceiling.

Becoming serious again, Ciccotelli then said, “Our whole thing is trying to get the kids involved as much as possible on the tech end.”

Students from various programs throughout the OCVTS district will be helping “with the house,” working behind the scenes and running many aspects of the technical portion of the show. One promising student, Nicole Mageros of Toms River, is the production manager and will be calling the show. This task includes coordinating all operations of the production, from set changes and lighting, to sound and stage management, to name a few. Mageros also was a Sights and Sounds Award recipient in 2010 through the Greek Orthodox Church.

The academy has already staged four performances at the Strand. Two recent shows were "Cocktails with Mimi" and "Crazy for You."

"[The past shows] have put the bar up way high. They also paved the way for 'Les Mis' to happen,” Ciccotelli said. “[They] proved that the kids are able to do this and we can trust them with such a huge endeavor.”

A special senior citizen Matinee will be held on Thursday, Feb. 24 at 4 p.m. Jean Sullivan, communications director for OCVTS, said that this show also will include a box lunch consisting of food prepared by adults in the OCVTS Culinary Arts program.

“It’s a very popular event,” Sullivan said about the lunch and matinee. “We’ve been doing that for the past couple of years.” Tickets for this show are  $13.

Another special event is planned for the Friday, Feb. 25 performance. Sullivan stated in a press release that “a Red Carpet Reception held at the theater prior to the Friday evening performance will feature cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, live entertainment, and a silent auction.” 

“We have several wonderful prizes as of now,” Sullivan said. Some of the prizes to be auctioned off were donated by local businesses such as Sea Oaks Country Club, Regency Jewelers, Joe Leone’s Italian Specialties and Flowers by Addalia. There also will be a raffle for four tickets to International Chef’s Night Out run by OCVTS.

The reception starts at 5 p.m. and ends 15 minutes prior to the 7 p.m. performance. Tickets for the Red Carpet Reception and performance are $75 each and can be purchased by calling OCVTS in Toms River at 732-240-6414, Ext. 3327.

The menu for the Friday night reception also will be prepared by OCVTS Adult Culinary Art Students. Hor d’oeuvres include such specialties as crab salad canapés, olive tapenade stuffed crimini mushrooms, white bean soup shooter with truffle oil and seared beef tenders with Dijon horseradish. Two stations for guests to sample La Fondue Grenoble and Crêpes Suzette will be available.

Saturday, Feb. 26 will feature two performances: the first will be a 2 p.m. matinee, and the second an evening show at 7 p.m. Tickets for both of the Saturday performances are $19 and can be purchased through the Strand Box Office or by calling the theatre at 732-367-7789.

Ciccotelli said that the PAA is "absolutely" planning more grand-scale shows like this one.“In March we’ll have a better game plan, after this musical is done," he said. "But, yes, there will be many more to come.”