I am entering a stretch of seeing three high school theater productions in six nights. Whitehall and Parkland are next and I'll tell you what, they have a hard act to follow.
I had the pleasure and I do mean pleasure of seeing Dieruff's "Chicago" tonight and all I can say is --- Wow.
It was so good that when it was over I had to go over to producer and director Sarah Pastelyak, give her a hug and tell her "Your show made me proud to be a Dieruff graduate."
I love the music of "Chicago." I always have. I saw it in Las Vegas at Mandalay Bay in 1999 with the legendary Chita Rivera and Ben Vereen as Roxie Hart and Billy Flynn. That show was so good that it made me want to return to Vegas to see more shows, and I have -- four times.
I've seen the movie, too. "Chicago" is always a crowd-pleaser.
So there's a high standard out there for this show.
And anytime you've seen something done well, there's a concern about "Well, we've seen this show done at its best, so how can high school kids possibly come close to matching it?"
Forget that concern here.
Dieruff's kids lived up to the standard set forth by lyricist Fred Ebb and choreography genius Bob Fosse.
The singing and especially the dancing were truly nothing sort of sensational.
Yes, it helped that there was an all-star band under the direction of Ralph Brodt II and that crew didn't miss a beat either. One of the trombonists was the great Rob Stoneback, one of the best in the business.
However, while the adults delivered the background music, the kids delivered the performances and they were top-notch.
I am not a judge for the Freddys, but if Amaris Colon (Roxie Hart) and Rachel Wingfield (Velma Kelly) aren't at the very least nominated as leading actresses, there's something wrong. They were such a captivating pair.
Wingfield (seen at right)
was a delight in last year's Dieruff production of "Aida." She evidently was also superb two years ago in "Hairspray" but I regretfully missed that show.
Well, Wingfield was very good in "Aida" but even better here because she got to show off her dancing ability and her singing chops.
Colon's personality stole the show, however. Her over-the-top portrayal of Hart made you think you were watching a pro and not a high school kid.
And when Wingfield and Colon (below left)
got together, they gave the audience more than enough razzle dazzle to light up the stage.
There were solid performances all the way around. Dedrik Ramos was the perfect Amos Hart and his performance of "Mister Cellophane" was a pleasant surprise.
Kemuel Vicente had the perfect amount of charisma and that sly smile to pull off the role of sleazy lawyer Billy Flynn.
And Andrew Stewart was a stunner in drag as he pulled off the role of Mary Sunshine with a perfectly toned, high-pitch voice.
Taisha Walker, nominated for best actress last year for "Aida," had a lesser role this year, but she made her time on stage count in the understated, but important supporting role of Matron Mama Morton.
As a whole, the singing and the dancing delivered one of the best nights of entertainment I've experienced in a long while.
Pastelyak did a great job of casting because no one seemed out of place or overwhelmed.
The sequined outfits were great, and yet, it was the kids who clearly shined.
My wife, daughter and mother were along all three agreed that the show was super.
As a sports writer, I am used to covering championship events. I know a championship effort when I see one.
Dieruff's performance of "Chicago" was definitely championship-worthy.
If you have a chance, do yourself a favor and see the last performance on Saturday at 2 p.m.
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