Windsor High School students will perform “We Will Rock You,” a musical featuring songs made famous by the British rock band Queen, fronted by the late Freddie Mercury.
Performances are scheduled for 7 p.m. tonight, Feb. 25, as well as Friday and Saturday. The price to attend or watch the show over the internet is $5.
Lisa Honz, Windsor High French teacher and director of the musical, believes the show will appeal to a wide cross section of people, even though it revolves around the songs of one band.
“I had seen it at the Fox (in St. Louis) when it came through,” Honz said. “It’s set in the future. It’s a group of Bohemians trying to bring back rock and roll. Galileo helps them do that. Musical instruments are forbidden in an Orwellian world.
“There are 25 songs in the show, such as ‘We Will Rock You,’ ‘Another One Bites the Dust,’ ‘Crazy Little Thing Called Love,’ ‘Under Pressure.’ People will recognize the music. I think it’s for everybody in the family.”
She said the cast of 16 Windsor students enjoys the music, as well as the storyline, and students backed up that statement.
“I think it’s really fun,” said senior Belle Bulmahn, who plays Scaramouche. “It’s high energy. My parents used to play Queen all the time when I was a kid. ‘Somebody to Love’ is my favorite, I would say. That’s one of my solos.
“I think students will enjoy the musical. Even if you don’t like musical theater, come for the songs and the dancing, which are really great.”
Ryan Scott, a senior who plays Galileo Figaro, agrees.
“People are going to know the music,” he said. “They’ll be able to sing along to, probably, most of it. It’s a very high-energy musical. It’s something different from a regular musical.”
In addition to the evening shows, a “sensory friendly” performance will be held at 3 p.m. Saturday, and admission is free. The matinee performance is designed for those with autism or other sensory issues.
The rest of the cast includes seniors Samantha Weidner and Lyn Holt; junior Rachel Leech; and sophomores Ethan Meece and Joe Bulmahn. The Bohemians ensemble includes juniors Nikki Garrett and Amaya Hill; sophomores Demetrios Dubis, Alayna McCulley, Ridge Robinson and Emily Weidner; and freshmen Katie Boyster, Griffin Graves and Lily Harrison.
Social-distancing regulations will limit in-person attendance, but a fair number of spectators will be allowed to watch the performances in person, Honz said.
“Normal capacity is over 300,” she said. “Attendance can vary depending on how many families sit together and the spacing. We have blocked every other row.”
Ellen Mueller, a second-grade teacher at Windsor Elementary, is assistant director of the musical.
The tech crew consists of junior Sarah Wright and sophomores Mada-lynn Kramer, Audrey Preston and James Weidner.
Liska Hromnak, a Windsor High alumna, is choreographer; Jody Buchanan, a retired Windsor teacher, is props and costume designer; Chris and Angie Bulmahn, parents of Windsor students, are set designers.
Tickets for in-person or virtual viewing may be purchased through
windsor.booktix.com. Virtual viewers will be given a code to log in to the performance.