Thornton Academy News
TA’s Spring Musical features comedy, tap-dancing, and dreams of making it big
The Thornton Academy Players will present Crazy for You, a musical featuring music by George Gershwin April 5-8 at Garland Auditorium at Thornton Academy. This comedic show features singing, dancing, and elaborate sets and costumes. It tells the story of Bobby Childs, a wannabe dancer who initiates a comedy of errors as he pursues his dream of making it big.
Crazy for You won the 1992 Tony Award for Best Musical. Thornton Academy’s production features senior Braden Foley as lead character Bobby Childs. “I love playing Bobby Childs because I can relate to him a lot. He just wants to keep singing and dancing and acting, and that’s all I want to do. Who could ask for anything more?” said Foley.
Braden Foley dances in the number "I can't be bothered now" during a dress rehearsal of Crazy for You.
In addition to playing “Tessie” in the show, junior Emily Murray took on an additional role, serving as assistant choreographer and tap captain. Thornton Academy was lucky enough to secure the rights to the original Broadway choreography. She reviewed the original tap choreography and made modifications before teaching the moves to the cast.
“It was stressful at first and was kind of scary to teach in front of my peers, but then it got a lot easier,” Murray said about the experience.
Thornton Academy teachers David Hanright, Emma Arenstam Campbell ’04, and Cathy Murray are the directors for the show. David Hanright has been directing theater productions at TA for over 20 years, but still has the energy to make each show a success. He acknowledges that putting on a musical is a lot of work, but it’s worth it.
“You’ve got to be committed to working with your cast, taking everyone’s strengths and weaknesses into account and trying to bring out the best in everyone. It’s to entertain, but we tell a story,” Hanright said.
Tickets are $10 for all seats and can be purchased at thorntonacademy.org/arts. Showtimes are 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, April 5, Friday, April 6, Saturday, April 7 with 2:00 p.m. matinees on Saturday, April 7, and Sunday, April 8.
