A note from our Co-Director, Mrs. Kate Francis-Schrodt:
Whew! Nothing like making your directorial debut at Alden High School during a global pandemic! This was by far one of the most challenging shows I have ever directed- not to mention the strangest. However, it was such a rewarding experience. I have been directing the musicals at Alexander Central, my own alma mater, since 2016. Shrek the Musical was the very first musical I ever directed, and I loved being able to do it again, even in the virtual realm! Being able to direct at Alden with my husband, Ethan, has been such an awesome experience. I am still in awe of the students we got to work with this year. I was constantly impressed with their dedication and knowledge, from the actors and singers who owned the stage, to the kids who built and painted our sets. Despite the constraints of doing rehearsals during a pandemic (having to figure out how to film, rather than do it live, working with a minimal set since the stage area had to be used during the school day, recording music, staying socially distanced, figuring out how to sing on stage with face shields, etc.) the kids had such a positive energy every day. What an incredible group of kids- not to mention the hard-working adults! Directing at a new school is vastly different, and there is a lot to learn about the way things work and how they run. Now that we’ve made it through this incredibly difficult year, and we (sort of) know what we’re doing, I’m so very excited to see what the future holds for the drama department at Alden! Having a virtual theatrical experience may be different, but it also makes it special. And hey, "what makes us special, makes us strong!"
A note from our Co-Director, Mr Ethan Schrodt:
To be perfectly honest, with all of the unknowns surrounding the last year, I was not confident that we would have the opportunity to produce a musical this year. Much to my relief and sincerest pleasure, we were allowed to proceed with a show and my fear gave way to excitement! It has been a such a wonderful experience to be able to be able to work with such a talented group of both staff and students while navigating the ever-changing landscape of the pandemic. While there have been a ton of challenges along the way, this has been a uniquely rewarding experience for myself as I hope it has been for everyone involved. I would like to thank all of the wonderful individuals who supported this program throughout this production, especially our family and friends who helped my wife, Kate, and I with babysitting while we were splitting directing duties. This is the first school musical in which I have been in the role of director, and it was such a pleasure to be able to share the role with Kate. Together we’ve had a ton of fun getting to know this great group of students. This production has been very different than those that have been done in the past, but I am immensely proud of what has been accomplished and am very much looking forward to what the program will evolve into throughout the coming years. Thank you to all of the cast and crew!
