Who Sees a Musical at 10:30 a.m. Part IV?

Baltimore's Center Stage was packed with 500 students from 12 different schools on Tuesday morning, Dec. 19, 2006 at 10:30 a.m. to see the Rodgers and Hart musical, "The Boys from Syracuse". The schools ranged from Pikesville and Parkville High Schools from Baltimore County (180 tickets), Baltimore's Talent Development High School (60 tickets), a three year old Charter School, to the Claremont School in East Baltimore (50 tickets) a special education school.

During the show, the boisterous audience enjoyed many Baltimore references during the play regarding the Ravens, Charm City, and the "R" rated, world famous, "Block". The actors noted after the performance, they LOVED the enthusiastic audience, especially performing at 10:30 in the morning.

Following the performance, the actors appeared on stage for a question and answer session.  There were the typical questions asked about how long it took to learn their lines, the harmonies in "Sing for Your Supper", how much training they received, where were the auditions, etc.

But the focus soon shifted when a senior from Parkville High School, Candace Geelhaar, took the mike and asked Paolo Montalban/>, "Did you play the Prince in "Cinderella" on television?" When Paolo replied, "You got me!!!" there were screams throughout the theater.  She then added, "I'm your biggest fan."  Even though this version was from 1997, many of the young women in the audience were very familiar with him. I cannot recall anything like this at Center Stage.

The last question asked was by a young 10 year old named Brianna Welsh who is a 5^th grade student at Baltimore's City Neighbors Charter School. She meekly took the mike and said "I am your biggest fan. Could you please sing a song from "Cinderella?" There was a hush silence throughout the theater anticipating what Montalban would do.

He responded, "I'll be happy to sing a song if you both (pointing to his TWO biggest fans) come up on stage.

There was no hesitation by either young lady. Cast members quickly put two seats front and center on stage and Montalban sang the lovely "Do I Love You Because You're Beautiful or Are You Beautiful Because I Love You" a cappella. He first sang directly to little Brianna and then directly to Candace. You could see them both melting.. After he sang, he gave them both a big hug.

Center Stage's Rosalind Cauthen then invited all the students to return to see the show with their parents and friends for only $8 on Thursday night, Dec. 28 as part of the "Kickin' It With the 'Rents" program.

There was then great cheering in the theater and the cast was then mobbed for autographs…another scene I've never witnessed before.

Outside in the theater lobby, I saw Center Stage's Artistic Director, Irene Lewis who inquired "What is all the screaming about". I told her she may not know it, but there is a teenage heartthrob in their cast.

 
I later spoke to Brianna Welsh about the experience. She had no idea her "favorite" actor was in the musical. She said, "I noticed his picture in the theater lobby, and when I saw him on stage, I knew I had seem him somewhere, but I was not sure where." She mentioned that it wasn't until after the show during the Q. and A. was she sure her favorite actor was indeed the Prince from "Cinderella" (which she has viewed over 25 times). She said she had dared a friend to ask a question and when she didn't, she decided to raise her hand. While she stated she was very scared on stage, it sure didn't look it.

Brianna's mother, Victoria, has been taking her daughter to the theater for a long time. She's seen "Grease", "Kiss Me Kate", "Beauty and the Beast", and "The Lion King". 

Thanks to Brianna's teacher, Peter French, her school has been to see "Twelve Angry Men" at the Hippodrome and "The Three Sisters" at Center Stage.

 
And incredible as it may sound, French is directing "The Comedy of Errors" (the basis for "The Boys from Syracuse") at his elementary school on January 31. Brianna will be playing the role of Luciana.

 
I was intrigued with Brianna's teacher, Peter French. He is a sixth grade teacher and also runs the theater group. He commented, "I feel city students need to take advantage of the artistic activities the city has to offer…the students learn how to behave…it's a magical element going to the theater."

 
Last year, he took his students to Center Stage to see "King Lear" and they even did a version of that Shakespeare play at the school. His students insisted they do another Shakespeare play this year and that led him to do "Comedy of Errors". He commented that two of the actors in the Center Stage production came to their school prior to their visit to see "Boys from Syracuse". Kevin R. Free (Dromio) and Christopher Sergeeff (Tailor's Apprentice). The students did a scene from their "Comedy of Errors" for them.

 
This is French's second year at this ambitious school which has 130 students from K-6 grades with a goal of including the 8^th grade.  He added everyone in the school was talking about Brianna's experience after the show.

 
At least five students from the City Neighbors Charter School returned to Center Stage with their families on Dec. 28, including Brianna. Paolo was disappointed he didn't get a change to say hello to her after the show.

 
It was a day Brianna and Candace will probably never forget and the same goes for Paolo Montalban/> who made their experience at Center Stage a memory for a lifetime.