Both Lake Oswego High School and Lakeridge High School Drama Departments are performing musicals this month in their high school auditoriums. Students have been rehearsing for weeks to be ready when the curtain goes up starting with How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying at Lakeridge this Thursday, November 7 at 7:30 p.m. but according to Sondheim, all their work will be for naught, unless you show up.

“Musicals are plays,” he said, “but the last collaborator is your audience, so you’ve got to wait ‘til the last collaborator comes in before you can complete the collaboration.”

 So do your part and take your seat. Lakeridge performs November 7, 9, 14, 15, and 16 at 7:30 p.m. and November 9 at 2:00 p.m. at 1235 Overlook Drive. Lake Oswego’s production, Honk! will be offered November 14,16, 21, and 23 at 7:00 p.m. and November 16 and 23 at 2:00 p.m. at 2501 Country Club Rd.

Besides Sondheim’s advice, here are a few more reasons to check them out.

1.      You’ll make a lot of kids happy. These productions are a major team effort with close to 100 students involved in the cast, tech crew and orchestra.

2.      You’ll be entertained. New Lakeridge drama teacher, Andy Ballnik says How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying “is underestimated for its entertainment and creative value.” This version has been tweaked to update the 1960s view of women in the workplace so women are not seen as merely objects in a man’s world. Ballnik wanted to make fun of the male dominated perspective in the show, a point that songs like “A Secretary is Not a Toy” get across. Plus, Ballnik explains, “The final number (‘Brotherhood of Man’) is one of the best final numbers of any show that I know of.”

Lake Oswego Drama Teacher Bob McGranaham calls Honk! a great family show that is clever, well written and fun. You’ll find the storyline familiar as it is based on The Ugly Duckling by Hans Christian Andersen. Graham says audience members should be on the lookout for memorable numbers such as “Wild Goose Chase,” “Warts and All,” “Every Tear a Mother Cries,” and “Different.”

3.      The price is right. The average price for a ticket on Broadway this past summer was $106.34. Chances are you can bring your whole family to these local productions for that. General admission for How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying is $15; $12 for students and seniors; $10 for Lakeridge students. General admission for Honk! is $12; $8 for students and seniors; $5 for children 5 and under.  

Westside Christian students are also appearing on stage in A Midsummer Night’s Dream on November 8 and 9 at 7:00 p.m. and November 3 and 10 at 2:30 p.m. Tickets are $8.50 for adults; $6.50 for seniors and $4.50 for students. 4565 Carman Drive. 503.697.4711.

Don’t Miss Lamb’s Nature’s Choice Market’s Holiday Show This Wednesday

Over 50 vendors will be on hand sampling food, candy and wine for your holiday festivities at this annual meet-and-greet Lake Oswego event. Read what I had to say last year about it. Although the market’s name has changed, this tradition continues. 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. 1376 McVey Avenue, 503.636.2213.

Photo credit: Freedigitalphotos.net taken by Apple’s Eyes Studio.