See why every day of two three-day weekends are all going to be ‘Freaky Friday’ – live, and on stage, as seen in this magical musical play amalgamation of no less than four motion pictures…
Preparing for the opening of their Fall Musical, Freaky Friday, David Douglas High School Theater Department student actors rehearse the opening scene of their play.
Things are “getting freaky” at David Douglas High School (DDHS) – as their Theater Department, student actors, musicians, and technical crew are all preparing for the Fall Musical production. Freaky Friday opens on November 15, and continues for two weekends, through November 23rd.
A modern retelling of an old, old story
Because the story line of Freaky Friday – a mother and daughter switching bodies for a day – has been a plotline in motion pictures released in 1976, 1995, and 2003 – as well as a “Disney Channel Original Movie” in a 2018 musical version. It’s easy to think of it as a modern era tale.
However, the yarn is based on “Vice Versa: A Lesson to Fathers”, an 1882 comic novel by Thomas Anstey Guthrie (under the pseudonym “F. Anstey”) – in which the main characters are a father and son.
Then, in the youth novel Freaky Friday, written by Mary Rodgers and published by Harper & Row in 1972 – and in the plays and motion pictures that followed – the protagonists are a daughter and mother.
As a stressed mom Katherine Blake (played by Bella Pahomsky) – and her daughter, Ellie Blake (played by Dotie Hayden) – regularly can’t see eye to eye, each wishes the other would understand their point of view; that is, until a magical hourglass fulfills their desire.
As the DDHS production of Freaky Friday unfolds, comedy abounds when a harried parent and impetuous teen – having only a day to put things right again – come to appreciate each other’s struggles, learn self-acceptance, and come to understand the love and respect that link the mother and daughter.
Freaky Friday director Michael Givler provides direction to student actors while rehearsing a scene.
“We decided to produce Freaky Friday this season because it’s a wonderful fresh family show, with themes all of us need right now,” explained DDHS Theater Instructor, and the show’s director, Michael Givler.
“All parents were kids once but, many times, adults can’t seem to understand the unique pressures their own kids are feeling,” Givler told East Portland News.
Amid the chaos created by the “body swap”, Fletcher the little brother (played by Madeline Muñoz) is thrilled – while Ellie Blake (played by Understudy Josephie Pair) is disgusted – that Mike (who is played by Cole Althen) is about to become their stepdad when, tomorrow, their mom Katherine Blake (played here by Understudy Bailey Deale) plans to marry him.
A press photographer (played by Savvy Henry) stands ready, as Weddings Magazine reporter Danielle (played by Leslie Juarez- Diaz) plans a cover story about this can-do bride – and asks “Type-A personality” Katherine how she’ll cater her wedding by herself, while not knowing that she and her daughter Ellie have swapped bodies. Katherine’s assistant Torrey (played by Lucy Stokes) tries to explain.
“This bit of theatrical magic gives us a fantastical experiment: Can a kid who is hurting, struggling, and doing her best, really understand her mom? How can we understand the people we love most, when times are hard?
“And, at the same time, this show has lively music and great humor,” Givler observed. “To be honest, if I got switched into one of my own kids’ bodies, it would comically go just as badly – and I’m a high school teacher!”
Mom, Katherine (played by Dottie Hayden), now in Ellie’s body, tries to navigate the “dangerous waters” of today’s high school situations, while she chats with Ellie’s love interest – and the “List Master” for the all-school game, “The Hunt” – Adam (played by Noah Morales).
A stage-filling musical production
With seven student actors in the main roles, the cast of 30 energetically takes the stage to emote, sing, and dance through 19 songs – accompanied by the full DDHS Orchestra, and assisted by more than a dozen student Stage Technicians.
Freaky Friday Opening Night: November 15
On November 15, at 7:30 p.m., the curtain goes up on this stage musical play in which a supernatural hourglass causes an overworked mom and her teenage daughter to magically swap bodies for a day.
Evening performances continue at 7:30 p.m. on November 16, 22 & 23.
Or, take in the Family Matinee shows at 2:30 p.m. on November 17th or 24th.
Come enjoy this lively musical play, live on stage, in the David Douglas Horner Performing Arts Center.
TICKETS: $15 Adults | $10 Students and Seniors. Don’t miss out, buy tickets securely online: CLICK HERE.
All performances are in the David Douglas Horner Performing Arts Center, located at Horner Performing Arts Center 1400 SE 130th Avenue, 97233.
© 2024 David F. Ashton ~ East Portland News™
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