Happening at the Great Neck School District

The Island Now
The North High cast, crew, and pit orchestra for Into the Woods, presented on Nov. 18, 19, and 20.

‘Night of the One Acts’ at North Middle School

North Middle School will present an evening of one-act plays and skits on Tuesday, Nov. 23, at 7:00 p.m. in the school’s Daniel J. Tomaselli Auditorium, 77 Polo Road. This year’s performance is being dedicated to Elaine Brendel, who recently retired from the Great Neck Public Schools after 31 years of service. Elaine acted as the technical director for the North Middle School Theatre Company for more than two decades.

Plays to be performed include: Teen Movie Star, The New Meteorologist, Love at First Sight, Finders Keepers, and Just Act Natural, all written by Laurie Allen; and Family Showdown, written by Jan Peterson Ewen.

Family Showdown, the final play of the evening, is a returning fan favorite that the North Middle School Theatre Company originally performed in 2018. This humorous skit is a parody of Family Feud, the well-known family gameshow that premiered in 1976 on the ABC television network, starring Richard Dawson as its first beloved host.

The group’s dedication, talent, and drive, paired with these well-written skits, is sure to deliver an enjoyable evening fit for the whole family. The event is guaranteed to be fun-filled and entertaining.

Due to current COVID restrictions, tickets for the night of the event are only available to parents and family members of the cast and crew. However, the performance will be available for purchase on-demand viewing at a later date.

For more information, contact Marissa Dove, director of the Night of the One Acts, at (516) 441-4544, or Danielle Larson, producer of the North Middle Theatre Company, at dlarson@greatneck.k12.ny.us.

North High Presents Into the Woods

The North High School Junior Players will present the musical Into the Woods on Thursday, Nov. 18 and Friday, Nov. 19 at 7:30 p.m., and Saturday, Nov. 20 at 2 p.m. All three performances will take place in the North High auditorium, 35 Polo Rd.

This award-winning musical by Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine features several popular fairy tale characters as they cross paths in the woods, including Cinderella, Rapunzel, Jack (and the Beanstalk), and Little Red Ridinghood. They strive to assist the Baker and his Wife who desperately want a child, but are childless due to a witch’s curse. To break the spell, all the characters must perform arduous tasks. In the process, they face their fears and learn about the need for community and family.

This Junior Players production is directed by Andrew Wagner, theatre director/drama teacher, with music direction by Dr. Pamela Levy, orchestra direction by Joseph Rutkowski, and set design by Len Antinori.

Tickets are $15 and must be paid for in advance via check, or by cash at the door. The general public may reserve tickets starting on Nov. 8. Due to social distancing requirements, seating will be limited and ticket reservations/seating will be on a first-come, first-serve basis. Masks must be worn at all times throughout the show and no food or drink will be permitted. To reserve tickets, email Mr. Wagner, theatre director, at awagner@greatneck.k12.ny.us.

North High senior honored at Hispanic Heritage Celebration

Evelyn Magarin, a senior at North High School, was honored at the 2021 Hispanic Heritage Celebration hosted by Senator Anna Kaplan on Oct. 26. Evelyn was nominated by her teachers and guidance counselors in recognition of her leadership qualities, as evidenced through her academics, athletics, extra-curricular activities, and service to others.

“Evelyn joined our school community in 2017 and has been a delight to her teachers and peers ever since,” reads the nomination letter submitted by North High faculty. “She has successfully immersed herself into North High’s community while taking pride and sharing her Salvadoran culture with others.”

In addition to being an outstanding student at North High, Evelyn is also enrolled in the Nurse Assisting program at Nassau BOCES Barry Tech. This Career and Technical Education program prepares students for a career in nursing and health care.

The Hispanic Heritage Celebration hosted by Sen. Kaplan highlights and celebrates the many contributions of Hispanic Americans in our community. This year’s program was conducted virtually. National Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated each year from Sept. 15 through Oct. 15.

South High presents Grease; third performance added

South High School will present the musical Grease on Friday, Nov. 19 at 7:30 p.m., and Saturday, Nov. 20 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. All performances will take place in the South High School auditorium, 341 Lakeville Road.

Grease was a Broadway-hit musical that went on to become one of the most successful movie musicals of all time. Join Theatre South in this satirical look at the friendships, romances, and adventures at Rydell High School in 1959. Theatergoers will revel to such familiar songs as “Summer Nights,” “We Go Together,” and “Greased Lighting.”

This production is under the direction of Ilana Meredith Schikler, Theatre South director/drama teacher, with support from Janine Robinson, vocal director; Michael Schwartz, orchestra director; Samantha Amaral, choreographer; Debra Dumas, set and lighting designer; John Motchkavitz, set construction; and Lydia Gladstone, costume designer.

All tickets are $20 to be paid by cash or check in advance or at the door. (Credit cards will not be accepted.) Seating for all performances will be limited due to social distancing and audience members must wear face masks. For additional information and to purchase tickets, email gntheatresouth@gmail.com.

South High Badminton competes at Nassau County Championships

The South High School Boys Badminton team competed at the Nassau County Singles and Doubles Tournament on Oct. 23, followed by the County Team Championship on Oct. 28. The Rebels ended the fall badminton season with a first-place win at the singles championships, second place at the team championships, and third and fourth place for doubles.

South High senior Ryan Wu won the singles tournament on Oct. 23, earning his third-consecutive County Singles Championship title. South High athletes Justin Choi and Haoran Xia also competed in the singles tournament. Two pairs of athletes represented South High in the doubles tournament: Yang Wang and Aidan Din came in third place at the County Doubles Championship, and Ryan Jacob and Carter Shea finished in fourth place.

The following week, the South High Badminton team advanced through the postseason and made it all the way to the team finals on Oct. 28. In a repeat of last year’s championship matchup, the Rebels faced Jericho for the team title. The Rebels were strong competitors and finished in second place at the County Team competition. Their overall season record was 10-3.

All seven members of the South High Badminton team earned All-County recognition this season. Their coach is Allison Romeo Gottfried, guidance counselor at South High.

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