Drama High - The Making of a High School Musical

[One Song Glory]

Posted: 12/2/08 at 7:53pm

Hey everyone. So last year, ABC went to my high school and did a documentary on the theatre department putting on The Wiz. The documentary is gonna be on ABC on Monday, December 15th from 9pm to 11pm and I think it'll be pretty interesting.

Here's a promo for it:


Drama High promo

[StockardFan]

Posted: 12/3/08 at 8:06am

Make sure you bump this up to remind us! Where in Virginia is this?

[supportivemom]

Posted: 12/3/08 at 11:43am

Glory- this DOES sound interesting. I always wondered how they could do The Wiz with a predomionantly white cast. I also wonder how your school was chosen for this documentary- maybe they'll tell all of that on the special. So, were you in your school's production or did you at least get to see it?

[uncageg]

Posted: 12/3/08 at 12:18pm

I am putting a note by my computer to remind me. But yes, please bump this back up on the day it airs. So nice to see high school students so excited about doing a show. Just that little clip bought back a lot of memories from the 70's when I was in JR/SR high doing shows and how exciting it was and how excited the whole school/town was when a show was coming up. Ahh...memories!

[uncageg]

Posted: 12/15/08 at 9:58am

Just a reminder. This comes on tonight.

[StockardFan]

Posted: 12/15/08 at 12:11pm

Thanks! I had forgotten all about it!

[One Song Glory]

Posted: 12/15/08 at 3:18pm

StockardFan - my school is in northern Virginia, it's about a 40 minute drive to D.C.

supportivemom - I don't exactly know how my school was chosen, we were just told that out of a thousand schools in the country, ABC picked us. And I did tech work for the show, so I wasn't in the cast, but you might see me in the background somewhere, ha ha.

[supportivemom]

Posted: 12/15/08 at 5:07pm

Thanks Glory! My daughter and I are very excited to watch tonight! You'll have to let us know if they did get you in one of the shots!

[Trekkie2]

Posted: 12/15/08 at 5:10pm

I auditioned! I didn't make it, but the back of my head is in the promo.

[StockardFan]

Posted: 12/15/08 at 5:14pm

I set a reminder on my DVR!

Glory I used to teach in Northern Virginia, but a little closer to DC. I actually lived about 1/4 mile from the Pentagon.

Trekkie, do you and Glory go to school together? I assume?

[Trekkie2]

Posted: 12/15/08 at 5:16pm

Yep. We auditioned together.

[StockardFan]

Posted: 12/15/08 at 6:46pm

That's cool!

[Shannon Bo Dannon]

Posted: 12/15/08 at 6:58pm

I have it set on my DVR to record!

That's so exciting, I can't wait to watch it!

[Schmerg_The_Impaler]

Posted: 12/15/08 at 7:25pm

Oh my gosh! My school is nearby, and I never heard anything about this. This wasn't per chance a Cappies show, was it?

[Trekkie2]

Posted: 12/15/08 at 7:57pm

Twas, Schmerg. We only won 2 or 3, and I think they were all acting wins.

[StockardFan]

Posted: 12/15/08 at 9:04pm

Too weird! I taught for 4 years at Schmergie's high school, and it turns out that the last year I taught, I taught one Fashion Marketing class at Glory and Trekkie's high school! Talk about a coincidence!

Glory and Trekkie, my cousin goes to Chantilly HS.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 12/15/08 at 9:49pm

I wonder how ABC found out about this prodcution.

[jacobtsf]

Posted: 12/15/08 at 10:09pm

Am I the only one saying "SHUT UP WHITE GIRL!".

[singingwendy]

Posted: 12/15/08 at 10:14pm

Hmmm..sounds interesting...however, ABC here is showing football........typical!

[One Song Glory]

Posted: 12/15/08 at 10:21pm

Yeah, Trekkie2 and I are best buds.

And I believe our school got Cappies for Costumes, Featured Actor in a Musical and Featured Actress in a Musical.

[StockardFan]

Posted: 12/15/08 at 10:28pm

Well I taught there in 2002 so I doubt I know anyone you guys do.....and like I said I just taught the one class there. I was mostly teaching at Schmerg's school.

Have they shown either of you guys?

And this show is stressing me out!

[One Song Glory]

Posted: 12/15/08 at 10:29pm

Yeah, I was in the beginning for a few shots when they were showing footage of the auditions, but nothing beyond that.

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 12/15/08 at 10:37pm

No offense Glory and Trekkie, but your director seems utterly clueless as to what the Wiz is actually about and why it is what it is.

I'm not against white kids doing it, I'm just against it when the director doesn't get it.

That said, the Evilene, Dorothy and Lion are terrific.

[One Song Glory]

Posted: 12/15/08 at 10:43pm

Well, our director just so cocky, he doesn't understand what he's saying sometimes. But I definitely had a "WTF?" moment about all of that talk about "being more African than American" that was pretty ignorant.

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 12/15/08 at 10:47pm

Well in general he isn't getting this show.

Junior year we had intended to do "Wizard of Oz," and then the year before another school in the district decided to do it. Rather than do "The Wiz" we did something else, because our director didn't want our already racially charged school to create more drama off-stage. And, in a school with 2 black students in the department, it was bound to happen. I feel the same could have been applied here.