This past month, all high schools in the Freehold Regional High School District have performed their spring musicals. As a theatre lover myself, I had the opportunity to embark on a mission to see every musical in the district (with the exception of Colts Neck High School of course). With previous knowledge of each theater company, as well as even having the pleasure to perform with some of the actors I’ve watched, I will now be giving a quick evaluation of each musical.

Freehold Township High School’s Mean Girls: This was the first show I saw, and it beat all of my expectations. Doing a show that has recently been on Broadway makes fulfilling expectations difficult, but FTHS did amazing with their interpretation of the classic 2004 film. The band and the leads had killer harmonies and were on point during the entire performance. I had done many shows with the actresses that played Regina George and Karen Smith, Sydney Bryant and Shain Stanley respectively, so seeing them do their dream roles and do it flawlessly was wonderful to watch. At the end of the show during the final number “I See Stars”, I had tears in my eyes seeing how dedicated each cast member was and how much it meant to them to be performing with their friends. Overall, a top-notch performance. 

Manalapan High School’s Little Shop of Horrors: The first of the two Little Shops that I saw, it was wonderfully put together. Audrey’s rendition of “Somewhere That’s Green” and her overall characterization was a standout and made the whole audience very emotional. Audrey II was also an extremely entertaining spot in the show, with each solo being done extremely well. Manalapan gave a much more emotionally-driven interpretation of this show, which I absolutely adored and connected to.  

Howell High School’s Matilda: As the school that holds the FPAC magnet program, I was of course expecting a great performance. Nonetheless, I was blown away by how amazing this production was. The set, with a climbing wall in the background and real swings coming from the ceiling, was beautiful and was close to matching the Broadway version. I had performed with many of these actors in the past, including my good friend Caitlyn Picone who played the title character, so seeing them all shine in these perfectly-fitting roles was extremely surreal. The ensemble’s energy was one of the best out of any of the shows I’ve seen thus far, and the harmonies were absolutely stunning. 

Freehold Borough High School’s Little Shop of Horrors: It was difficult for me to write a review for a second production of the same musical, but Freehold Borough really outdid themselves with this performance. I had seen their previous musical, Grease, which was amazing, but Little Shop really showed this company’s development. The set of the flower shop was very detailed and put together, with many flowers perfectly planted throughout the set. The cast, most notably the Street Urchins, were beautifully casted and connected so well. By the end of the show, I was sobbing with laughter at the end of the show by how hilarious they made the ending seem. Awesome job, Freehold Borough!

Marlboro High School’s Seussical: The best way I can summarize my experience watching this show is: wow. This was a colorful and energetic show that was so enticing to watch. Each leading actor fit their role perfectly and their excitement for the show was definitely transferred to the audience. The costumes were all so bright and flawlessly picked out. The changing backdrops for each scene were wonderful and made the show even more captivating. Although Seussical is known to be a cheesy show with children’s characters, this show was done very well. 

Each musical was done extremely well and it was clear that all members of each drama company put their heart and soul into their performances. This just goes to show how crucial the representation of theatre arts should be across the district, and each company should be validated and praised for their hard work every year.