Rehearsals are now underway for this year’s spring musical, Ragtime, which may be the largest production the school has ever staged. With 112 students in the cast, it is also the biggest ensemble that Performing Arts Department Chair Mr. Darren Hengst has directed, bringing both excitement and logistical challenges.
Ragtime explores the American Dream through the lives of three distinct groups of people living in early 20th-century New York.
For Mr. Hengst, the show holds personal meaning.
“Ragtime is one of those perfect shows where every moment matters for the whole story.”
Mr. Darren Hengst
“I saw the original production when I was in college,” Mr. Hengst said. “It was one of those shows that is life-altering for you. It hit me in the heart with all the music, the story, the characters.”
Although he had long admired the show, he never expected to direct the musical, due to its scale and difficulty. That large scale is essential to the story Ragtime tells.
“This show is kind of demanding to have a large cast,” Mr. Hengst said. “It helps us represent the three different groups of people really well.”
The size of the ensemble allows the production to fully capture the scope and complexity of the musical’s themes.
Managing such a large group has not been easy, though.
“Trying to get everyone in the same room for rehearsal has been the biggest challenge,” Mr. Hengst said. “With absences due to illness or conflicts, rehearsals often require extra time for review.”
To adjust, Mr. Hengst has changed his approach.
“I’m really trying to review much more than any show in the past,” he said, “while also moving rehearsals at a quicker pace.”
In this show, the ensemble carries much of the artistic storytelling.
Mr. Hengst said, “There are a ton of different scenes and a ton of different characters,” noting that coordinating costume changes and movement has required careful planning.
The production features ambitious technical elements, including a three-level set, an electric Model-T, and the return of a lighting designer who last worked with the program in 2019.
“Ragtime is one of those perfect shows where every moment matters for the whole story,” Mr. Hengst said.
Ultimately, Mr. Hengst hopes the show leaves the audience thinking beyond the final curtain.
He said, “I hope that people will understand what it is to be an American and what their place is going to be.”
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