SHS Musical made the Tribune!

Doug Ramsay photo (Click photo to see actual online article)


From left: junior Troy Moore, senior Riley Schmitt and sophomore Josh Watson perform during a dress rehearsal Dec. 9 for the Snohomish High School performance “A Night of Musical Theatre”.

Snohomish production sings

Last weekend to catch “A Night of Musical Theatre”

SNOHOMISH - Drama players from Snohomish High School will perform a cavalcade of songs from multiple musicals for their winter performance, “A Night of Musical Theatre.” The last shows are Dec. 17 and 18 at 7 p.m.

Because Snohomish High doesn’t have a performing arts center right now — the new one is under construction — the performances are at Glacier Peak High School’s Performing Arts Center.

Students are performing various songs from various musicals, complete with costumes and choreography. There are 18 songs on the roster from musicals including “My Fair Lady,” “Mamma Mia!,” “Hairspray,” “Cabaret” and “Carousel.”

Some students are performing in eight to 10 songs.

“It’s a big spread of stuff, from contemporary to classical,” director Jaci Cummings said.

“This is an opportunity to feature everyone, to utilize everyone’s strengths,” Cummings said.

Garrett Dmochowsky, 17, plays the cabaret leader for the opening song of the show, “Wilkommen,” from Cabaret.

Dmochowsky never thought he’d be singing and dancing on stage, but he found out “it was well worth it” as a confidence booster, he said.

“I’ve been able to fit it into my life, and the more (events) you fit in, the more you can relate to people,” Dmochowsky said.

He’s the Associated Student Body president for Snohomish High, and part of the jazz choir, so being in front of people is not new for him. Singing and dancing is what’s new, he said.

“It really tests my personal courage,” Dmochowsky said.

Kyleann Irwin, 16, enjoys the range of songs she gets to sing. One of her solos is “Wouldn’t it be Loverly” from the play “My Fair Lady.” Irwin performs in eight songs overall.


“It’s definitely a lot of work,” Irwin said.


Everyone gets a chance to sing and dance. The fact that the stage players are largely equal has “definitely been a reward in all of this,” Irwin said.

Leah Thomas, 15, said performing comes naturally to her. Thomas has been in plays since she was 5, she said. What excites her about the musical review is the many different characters that she gets to play.

“That’s the great thing about this play — I get an opportunity to be a lot of different people,” Thomas said.

Most high school plays have an orchestra, but in this case the players are accompanied with one piano player. That pianist is Karen Rentko, a longtime elementary school music teacher.

“It’s the best hits from the best musicals wrapped into one,” Rentko said of the show.

Rentko said the best part for her is working with the high school talent.

“They’re doing such an awesome job,” Rentko said. “From the first note, you’re there.”

The musical review runs Dec. 17 and 18 at Glacier Peak High School Performing Arts Center. The two-hour show starts at 7 p.m. Tickets cost $7 for most people, and $5 for people with a student card. Tickets are sold at the door.

Glacier Peak is located at 7401 144th Place SE.

By MICHAEL WHITNEY

Published Dec. 15, 2010