Ever wonder what it might be like to be someone else? Not be LIKE someone else, but actually become them and walk in their shoes? In Freaky Friday - The Musical, an adaptation of the classic novel and beloved films, that’s exactly what happens to Katherine Blake and her daughter Ellie.
Mom and daughter are having trouble understanding each other. Ellie wants mom to back off and stop trying to change her, while Katherine wants Ellie to be the best version of herself. This very typical mother/daughter back-and-forth is interrupted by an event that is not at ALL typical. Fate, in the form of a mysterious hourglass, brings the freaky to a Friday – one day before Katherine’s wedding. Mom and daughter swap bodies! Now, they have to, quite literally, spend a day walking in each other’s shoes, experiencing what the other goes through on a daily basis and, in the end, forging a stronger mother-daughter bond of empathy and understanding. But not before taking the audience on a wild and hilarious ride filled with memorable songs.
Freaky Friday – The Musical, SV’s SSP has assembled an excellent cast with seasoned performers like Sofie Dyson, in the role of Katherine Blake, the Mother. Janeva Mazil takes on Ellie Blake, the daughter, in her first lead role with SSP.
At home, Katherine must keep her cool as she plans her own wedding to her fiancé, Mike, played by Parker Davidson, as well as keeping her youngest child, Fletcher Blake (Grayden Everson, a seventh grader) from feeling like an outcast. Katherine’s highly efficient assistant Torey, played by Maggie McCracken, does her best to try to untangle the mess the Blakes are in.
At school, Ellie is failing most of her subjects. Her school counselor, played by Adrian Burns, brings Ellie's teachers (Bethany Ondreyko, Ali Stewart, and Maggie McCracken) together to try to help her. There is no help for Ellie in PE class because Mr. Meyers, played by Grey Milligan, will not stop until Ellie puts in the work to pass PE class.
Ellie's friends, Gretchen (Peyton Tobler), Parker (Grey Milligan) and Wells (Mason Nagle), have a plan to win “The Hunt”, the end of the year scavenger hunt. To do so, however, they’ll have to outsmart their nemesis, Savannah, played by Lillian Short. In charge is their infamous leader, and crush ADAM! (Sigh). Adam is played by Skylar Wood, an SV senior.
Mix into the hilarity and mayhem a magazine reporter and photographer (Bethany Ondreyko and Ann Youket), Mrs. Time, (Ali Stewart), the police duo of Stiz and Kowalski, played by Adrian Burns and Mason Nagel, along with Pastor Bruno (Maddie Zitzman, an eighth grader). As you'll see, for this Saber Stage production, many students have taken on double and triple roles.
We are pleased to have eight Richard T. Stank Middle School students in our production: Alaina Judy, Maddie Zitzman, Ryleigh Stewart, Kealan Kinney, Lydia Carangelo, Lily Hollenbeck, Khloe Hubbard, Ava Palmer, and Sophia Sousouris.
Stage direction is by Shirley Goodman. Our producer, musical director and pit conductor is Jenn Perkins. Our Saber Stage families are building the sets designed by Sonny Dewit. Courtney Kerrick is getting the backstage crew in shape, with the help of Isaac Contreras, an SV graduate interning as her assistant stage manager. Costumes are assembled and designed by Lynn Szigeti. Choreography by Kate Fabrizio, special effects by David Black, lighting design by Shirley Goodman, and sound by Logan Everson, also an SV grad.
PHOTOS FROM JANUARY 31 REHEARSAL.
PHOTOS FROM FEBRUARY 16 REHEARSAL (IN COSTUME).