High Point students perform 'The Front Page'

SUSSEX — The High Point Regional High School theatre department performed a three-act comedy last weekend, a show that took six weeks to prepare.

“I knew I wanted to go with a comedy or mystery this year, and I discovered this play as a freshman in college at Seton Hall,” director Theresa Riccardi. “It’s quite a difficult show, but I’m really proud of how far the cast has come.”

According to Riccardi, the play is about newspaper sensationalism in the 1920s. It is set in the press room of Chicago’s Criminal Courts Building in 1928.

“It’s about a young man who is going to hang for murder, and the bustling number of reporters trying to write the best story about it," she said. " Plus, we have different subplots going on, with a little bit of romance.”

Senior Alex Chrysanthopoulos, 18, portrayed Hildy Johnson, who he describes as a go-getter and a headstrong reporter trying to get the best story, even if it costs him his marriage.

"Playing this role is absolutely astounding, but getting it required doing a lot of research," Chrysanthopoulos said. "It's so much fun, and i've enjoyed every second of it."

This is first year as part of the fall drama program and hesaid he regrets not doing it before.

Hildy’s love interest, Peggy Grant, was played by Senior Erin Wirths.

"During auditions, I realized I really liked the role of Peggy, and then in callbacks, Peggy was the only character I was called back for. It worked really well for me."

Wirths said her character is trying to get Hildy to end his days as a reporter and move to New York.

“She’s a big emotional rollercoaster,” she said. “My first big role in a play, I’ve had the most fun on stage this year. Usually, all the pain shoots to my hands when I get nervous, but this year, I’ve sort of gotten over that.”

Nicole Lange played the part of Bensinger, one of the reporters. She is participating in her fifth production at High Point.

"Bensinger's kind of like a germophobe and the guys pick on her a lot," Lange said. "It's a lot of fun, and I enjoy being on stage with everyone."

The character Mollie Malloy was portrayed by junior Rachel Rome.

“I’ve broken the ingénue cycle," Rome said. "I’ve been Belle in 'Beauty and the Beast' and Hope Harcourt in 'Anything Goes.' I liked both of those characters, but I’m not an ingénue kind of person. This is my favorite character that I’ve ever played because I feel I connect more with Mollie, I was able to be more myself and natural on stage.”

P.J. Lombardo, who played newspaper reporter Murphy, said he liked to play his character but believed he was a jerk.

"We ask ourselves, 'what have I accomplished?' at the end of every show, and I think the answer is that we just got to play another part, be another person and experience life in a different way. The process is kind of a marathon—once you get to the end of it, it’s so worth it.”

Production members include lighting designer Amy Roberts and set designer Rose Riccardi. With 25 cast members, the show ran about two hours. High Point’s upcoming spring musical will be a comedy, 'Damn Yankees.'