Super Kids Perform Original Musical

What happens when you combine 26 teenagers, a 16th-century fantasy epic, superpowers and an original score? You get the annual Greenbelt Youth Musical, of course.

The musical, in its eleventh year, stays true to its debuts of original pieces with “The School for Super-Heroes Presents Orlando Furioso, The Musical,” as the latest.

Director and author, Christopher Cherry, said that he enjoys writing original musicals because he can create a show with many stars. He also said that he finished writing the musical after he knew all of the kids so that he could add their own personalities to the roles.

As for the story itself, the musical follows a group of students enrolled at a school for superheroes, however they themselves lack truly super powers. In order to prove that together they do have superpowers, they set out to produce the best high school musical ever based on the 16th century epic “Orlando Furioso” that tackles the conflict of Christian-Muslim relations with a colorful cast. To summarize, one line in the show is, “Orlando Furioso is like a lost literary treasure, just waiting to be dramatized and rediscovered!”

“The school for superheroes idea had been kicking around in my head for about a year,” Cherry said. “I just needed a story within the musical, one that would be audacious for them to take under and it was a wonderful vehicle to talk about tolerance.”

Cherry is the Performing Arts Program Coordinator for the city of Greenbelt and heads the summer programs and Camp Encore. Some of his staff, most notably choreographer Ian Brown, come back each year to help with programs.

“I’ve done the winter musical since I was 9,” Brown said. He was brought back to choreograph the show and assistant direct. “The kids are extremely talented and I’m trying to help them move farther and farther into doing what I grew up doing.” Brown, a Point Park musical theater junior, said he plans on coming back to help Cherry after graduation and then see where his theater career takes him from there.

As part of the program, the teenagers rehearse Friday, Saturday and Sunday, but most don’t seem to mind giving up their weekends.

“This is my release, my relaxation time. This is what is fun for me,” Olivia Guerrieri, 16, of Bowie said. “It’s fun to come and just be in this story and not worry about all of the other stuff at school.”

Cast member Guerrieri also said the show is a great opportunity to meet new kids in every age group, even meeting fellow classmates a grade above or below her.

“Since we work for a really long time period, we get close with the cast and we get to be better friends with people,” Sofia Zocca, 14, of Greenbelt added. “I knew of Olivia before the show, but didn’t talk to her because she was two grades above me, now I see her in the hallways and say ‘hi.’”

Even after hours of rehearsal, the cast often gets together after the show to eat at in Roosevelt Center.

Only 100 tickets are available for each performance and according to Cherry, they usually sell out every show.

“I think parents will see a really important performance. Obviously they know their kids are talented, but it’s going to be a real prize to see their kid onstage and see that they’re greater than they thought they could be,” Cherry said.

The Greenbelt Youth Musical is an open-enrollment musical theater and performance class offered through the, which means every teenager gets a chance to perform onstage and receives a role in the musical. This year’s musical boasts students from Kenmoor Middle School, Newport Mill Middle School, Robert Goddard Middle School, Friends Community School, , Central High School, Laurel High School, Albert Einstein High School, and Elizabeth Seton High School. Registration is open now for Creative Kids Camp and Camp Encore.

The show runs for two weekends, tickets are $5 and can be bought at the Greenbelt Community Center or by phone at 301-397-2208.

All shows are performed at the Greenbelt Community Center:

Sunday, March 20

Friday, March 25