PVIS to stage "Freaky Friday"

"It's been around a few years," said Alicia Trescavage of the musical she is directing at Pequea Valley Intermediate School (PVIS). The musical is the mother-daughter saga known as "Freaky Friday," which dates back to the original 1976 movie and the 2003 remake. The concept behind the film eventually became a Disney Channel musical.

The one-act musical version of "Freaky Friday" will be produced in the Pequea Valley High School auditorium, 4033 E. Newport Road, Kinzers, on Thursday, March 23, at 7 p.m.; Friday, March 24, at 7 p.m.; and Saturday, March 25, at 2 and 7 p.m. Tickets may be purchased at http://www.pequeavalley.org or at the door.

The show tells the story of a mother and daughter who somehow swap bodies for 24 hours. By spending a day in each other's shoes, mother Katherine, played by Taylor Gentzler, and daughter Ellie, played by Kennedy Haley, come to a new understanding of each other and a better realization of the immeasurable love and mutual respect that bond them together. Trescavage said she chose the show for several reasons. "It's a fun show and you can set it whenever you want (in time)," she said, noting that setting the story in the present made costuming easier. "'Freaky Friday' also offers many ensemble roles, but also parts for strong singers and actors," Trescavage pointed out. The director lauded Haley and Gentzler for their hard work in what are essentially dual roles. "When they switch bodies, they have to take on a different personality," Trescavage said. "They have to do a character study of each other." Other cast members include Carissa Lapp as Monica, Kelsey DellaRova as Savannah, and Anneliese Watson as Kitty.

As a musical, Trescavage noted, the 90-minute production features "Oh, Biology," which she said audience members will hum on the way out of the theater, along with "Watch Your Back" and "Go." Nailing down the dance steps has challenged some of the 28 cast members, Trescavage reported, but choreographer Katie Adams of LanCo Performing Arts has been practicing with the students to help polish performances.

Trescavage has spent time working with students to understand the message of the show, which is so pertinent to teenagers. "(I asked) 'Would you want to change places with your parents?'" Trescavage stated, noting that cast members reported that they were not ready to be adults. The question inspired conversation about the subject, and students wondered how parents would fare spending a day in middle school. "School changes year to year and generation to generation," said Trescavage. "With their parents, problems were left at school," she noted, emphasizing the difference from the current age of technology and prevalence of social media. Students also discussed the struggles they feel they undergo to be taken seriously by adults. "The moral is at the end (of the show) they have an appreciation for each other," said Trescavage.