On Monday, MICDS seventh and eighth graders wrapped up their annual play with their final performances of The Hundred Dresses Musical. The seventh- and eighth-grade play is funded year over year thanks to an endowment fund set up by the Mary Institute Class of 1954. Our students did a fantastic job of living into the opportunity to bring this musical to life in Freeman Theatre.
Musicals for the seventh- and eighth-grade play are rotated about every 10 years, each time offering a completely different experience on the show. The most recent time The Hundred Dresses was performed was in 2014, and what a fun show it was to bring back one decade later! Almost all of the three evening shows were sold out to a supportive and engaged audience, and the students did a fourth, special matinee performance for MICDS fourth graders on Monday.
Auditions for roles on the cast and crew were held in December. Then, students rehearsed in January and February for three days a week. The final week before the opening show, they rehearsed for the full week.
Here is the synopsis of the musical:
Wanda Petronski, a second grader, lives way up in a shabby house in Boggins Heights, and she doesn’t have any friends. Every day, she wears a faded blue dress, which wouldn’t be too much of a problem if she didn’t tell her classmates that she had a hundred dresses at home—all silk, all colors, velvet too. The children at Franklin Elementary don’t know what to make of this peculiar new girl with the strange accent. Soon, Maddie, Peggy, Jack, and their classmates make a game of teasing Wanda about her hundred dresses until one day, she disappears from school, leaving just an empty seat where she once sat. As feelings of guilt overtake the children, Maddie and the others decide they must find out what happened to Wanda and make amends for the way they treated her. But is it too late? Based on the beloved Newbery Honor Book by Eleanor Estes, this acclaimed musical adaptation masterfully handles such topics as bullying, friendship, and forgiveness. Packed with humor and filled with colorful characters and memorable songs such as Bright Blue Day, Penny Paddywhack, and Never Do Nothing, The Hundred Dresses is a timeless tale that explores the bonds of friendship, the willingness to be yourself, and the courage that it takes to stand up to others—even when you’re standing alone.
In addition to learning lessons from the musical on the themes of friendship, being yourself, and standing up for others, the Middle School cast and crew gathered stage presence, teamwork, and problem-solving skills. Isolde Scoville ’28 played the role of Patty Johnson, who was one of the leads. She said, « I learned that it is better to be with a team. Without some of the people there, I wouldn’t have been that good. » Scoville also became more comfortable on stage. « At first, I was really nervous to go up and perform, but then when the play started, I was fine. »
Lucy Pickett ’27 describes her experience in the play. She said, « I played Maddie in The Hundred Dresses musical, and I loved my role. I learned how to fully commit to a character. My favorite parts of the musical were the songs Boggins Heights and Never do Nothing. Another highlight for me was being able to work with others and getting to know people I would not have talked to otherwise. »
Actress Emily Rotskoff ’27 also enjoyed her character in the musical. « In The Hundred Dresses, I played Peggy. I really liked my role. As Peggy, I had to act as a fourth grader who only cares about herself and is stuck up and rude to other kids. My favorite part of the musical was all of the people involved because every day, I felt included and welcomed, and everyone was so funny and kind. As part of the seventh and eighth-grade play, I learned how to act as someone outside of who I am as a person. I also learned how to have confidence while singing in front of other people. Overall, I loved being a part of the play, and coming out of it, I feel like I have so many more people I can trust, » she said.
The actor who played Willie, Cam Cozad ’27, said, « I think the play was a really fun experience because all of the cast members got to learn more about acting and each other. Even though this is my last year in Middle School, I will look back upon the plays I’ve done with fondness. »
Download the full program here.
« Theatre is about storytelling, and this is a wonderful story, » said Charlotte Dougherty, Middle School Seventh Grade Dean and Drama Teacher. « Every student has had an occasion where they have witnessed, perpetrated, or experienced bullying. This story highlights what can happen and how important it is to be an ally. This gave the entire cast an opportunity to be an ally and send a great message to audiences of all ages. »
Way to break a leg, seventh- and eighth-grade actors, actresses, and crew members! A standing ovation to you all, 100 times over!