Malverne’s outdoor musical set for Friday night

Searching for ways to lift the spirits of the school community, Malverne Schools Superintendent Dr. Lorna Lewis and Michael Messina, the district’s chairman of music and fine arts, have had several discussions about the importance of boosting students’ socioemotional health. So Lewis, recognizing the success of the district’s music program, proposed that it host a summer musical.

Messina pitched the proposal to district officials in June, and he received the OK to move forward with the Malverne Summer Theatre. “There’s nothing better than music and theater, and actually getting together and doing something fun at this time,” Messina said. “The kids were really excited about this, and all of the teachers were on board with it.”

The Summer Theatre, which includes current students, alumni and Malverne residents, will stage a free outdoor production, “Little Shop of Horrors,” at Malverne High School on Friday at 8 p.m. The rain date is Saturday.

“This is a chance for us to bring live theater back to the community and share that communal experience,” said Messina, who is serving as the musical’s producer. “It’s been so hard on these students for this past year and a half now. They were cheated out of so many things, so that’s why the theatrical experience is very important to us.”

Keeping up the district’s award-winning music program has been difficult, according to Messina. Last year, students were kept 12 feet apart, and later six feet, at band rehearsals. The school district recorded performances for some of its community-wide celebrations, which moved to a virtual format. In April the district was recognized by the National Association of Music Merchants Foundation as one of the nation’s best communities for music education for the eighth year in a row.

“I’m hoping that this year could be a rebuilding of what band and chorus should be,” Messina said. “No matter how strong a program is, after a couple of years of not doing it, it takes some time to rebuild it.” He added that he hoped the Summer Theatre would do just that.

Ken Zagare, “Little Shop’s” music director and a chorus teacher at the high school, said that preparing for the event has been an experience like no other. “We have people from the class of 1986 all the way through 2025,” Zagare said. “It’s just incredible to see the younger kids looking up at the more seasoned actors who have done this for a long time. I think it’s such a humbling experience for them, and for us, too.”

The most challenging aspect of the production, Zagare said, was adapting to an outdoor environment, adding that it wasn’t difficult to set up rehearsals and recruit a wide range of performers, and that everyone seemed determined to put the show together.

“Our community supports the arts so much, and we always enjoyed putting on shows for them,” he said. “It’s been very tough on us to not be able to share shows with them. I noticed that a lot of other districts are cutting music teachers and programs, but Malverne has continued to support this program, and they see how important this is for our students. You can’t replace that kind of support, and I’m forever grateful.”

Many of the cast members, Zagare said, have already discussed plans for another outdoor show next year. Much of their enthusiasm stems from the success of the Malverne Community Theatre’s first-ever alumni musical in 2019. David Coonan, president of the MCT, said he was excited to see the school district take the lead in producing Friday’s musical.

“This is a full-scale production, with no corner cutting whatsoever,” said Coonan, who is directing the show. “The district knows about the vibrant theater community here in Malverne, so we plan to exceed all expectations.”

A theater teacher in the district, Coonan said he relied on social media to enlist cast members. Setting up a multi-tiered stage outdoors with lights and props, he said, was a unique but fun challenge.

“We just want the audience to have fun,” Coonan said. “With ‘Little Shop of Horrors,’ there’s some comedy and horror, so it should be a fun evening for everyone. We all can’t wait to spread the joy of theater.”