Lights. Music. Makeup. Tapping.
Southern Lehigh’s production of “42nd Street” delivered this Spring, leaving many in awe.
Directed by Mr. Matthew Wehr, the show was a masterpiece of singing, tapping, and colorful sets.
The musical tells the tale of Peggy Sawyer, fresh off a bus from Allentown, Pennsylvania, and her rise to stardom.
When Peggy (played by senior Kristen Moisey) first arrives, the audition has just ended, and she has missed her opportunity to be a part of the chorus. Lucky for her, Billy Lawler (played by senior Aidan McLoughlin) gives her a few shining seconds to show what she’s got.
Almost immediately, choreographer Andy Lee (played by senior Tyler Martin) tells her to “amscray toots” and she is sent away, leaving her purse behind.
When Peggy returns for her belongings, she runs into Maggie Jones (played by senior Shelby White) and three of the chorus girls. The five proceed to grab lunch and dance through the streets of New York City.
Peggy is noticed by the intimidating director, Julian Marsh (played by junior Alex Knapp) and is asked to be a part of his production.
The company starts work on the show immediately. Unfortunately, Peggy is very out of place and breaks Dorothy Brock’s (played by senior Olivia Muth) leg on her opening night.
Without a star, the show is doomed to close, and Peggy is fired, until the chorus kids rush to tell Julian how Peggy could tackle the role.
Catching her right at the train station, Peggy agrees to come back and take the job. The show goes off without a hitch, and Peggy is finally a star.
With show-stopping numbers such as “We’re In The Money,” “Dames,” and “Lullaby of Broadway,” the audience was on their feet before curtain call.
“Hearing the applause and looking out over the audience after performing a successful number is so rewarding and makes all the hard work completely worth it!” Moisey said. “Theres no better feeling than knowing that, together with your cast, kicked a**!”
After three months of hard work, the students pulled off what was said to be their most difficult show yet.
“It was difficult learning how to tap,” Knapp said, ”especially since I was only given a week to learn the only tap number I was in!”
Going into the production only a handful of students knew how to tap. Every student was told they had three months to master every number.
The students truly captured the “hip hooray and bally hoo” of Broadway with their production of “42nd Street.”
