I write this note exactly 25 years after I first set foot on the Malverne stage. As a high school freshman – and with no experience in the theatre whatsoever – my director, Sal Zaccaro, took a chance and challenged me to play the role of Orin Scrivello, D.D.S., in Little Shop of Horrors. While that was a personal challenge, this year, a different challenge arose in our theatre – how to actually make a show happen. This past year has been overwhelming and difficult for all. That is not lost on me, and the severity of the situation cannot be understated. Here at Malverne, trying to create a sense of normalcy for the students, and give them a creative outlet, was a priority from the beginning of the school year. We have the incredible fortune to create theatre in a place that fully supports the arts and gives the students top-notch experiences that they would not get anywhere else. We are lucky to have the support of the school district and the community. And I am grateful that myself and my extraordinary team are trusted to make this happen.
Enter Les Miserables (don’t let the “school edition” subtitle fool you – it’s nearly all there). This musical is legendary. It is one of the greatest, and most difficult, pieces of theatre to execute. To do it live, in front of an audience, is one kind of challenge. To make it into a movie is another. Filmmaking is an art that I am no expert in, and our students have never acted for a camera before. It was a learning experience for all – but once they understood how different, yet similar, acting for a camera and acting for a live audience truly are, they became confident, comfortable, and very natural. These performances still give me chills even after watching them 1,000 times. The professionalism exhibited in these students is unmatched – I have directed many shows in many places, and what I witnessed on this stage with this group ranks among the very best. They told a story in a foreign medium, to an empty theatre, with a camera directly in their faces – and they embraced it, never complained, and put in the work. They own this show. What we have created here is a truly unique, never before seen production starring a small cast of extremely talented student actors and a skeleton crew. How we pulled this off is miraculous. I am extraordinarily proud of what you are about to see, and I hope you lose yourselves in the world of one of my favorite musicals, Les Miserables.
David Coonan
Director
