New Marblehead High School graduates, and several current students, took to the stage for two original performances on June 7 and 8.
Graduates Jacob Piascik, Ian Ryu and Bella Takata spent their MHS senior projects this spring writing, directing and performing their own productions.
Piascik and Ryu composed an original piece “Chad Gadya,” and performed it at the King Hooper Mansion as guests of the Marblehead Arts Association.
The evening began when Piascik addressed the audience to explain the piece’s significance. “Chad Gadya,” named for a traditional Passover song, follows the stories of influential figures and events in Jewish history. Kicking off with a solo performance by senior Ila Bumagin, the piece went on to feature four string musicians and a 12- person chorus.
The movements alternated between joyful, melancholy and intense, with one piece even ending in an agonized scream. After roughly 15 minutes of music, the performers received a standing ovation.
The following day, many of the same performers headed to the high school to participate in the second performance of the weekend. “Tuesday Afternoon Dead,” a “Saturday Night Live” spoof written and directed by Bella Takata, ironically took place on Saturday night at the MHS auditorium.
The show, which featured eight comedy sketches, a host monologue from Takata and two numbers from the musical guest, Baked Ostrich (Piascik and Brady Weed), ran for 90 minutes and raised more than $2,000 for the Marblehead performing arts department.
The themes of the show reflected Takata’s wishes to support the arts, and she is happy with how it turned out.
“It was definitely a rocky start, but absolutely worth it,” she shared with the Current. “The audience’s energy was great and felt so supportive. I’m so glad the community pulled together for this awesome show.”
Editor Leigh Blander is an experienced TV, radio and print journalist.