High School Production of 'Avenue Q' Hits the Stage this Weekend

With Director Barbara Gensler injured, Shorewood alumni save the show.

With Shorewood Drama Director Barbara Gensler wheelchair bound with a broken leg and no longer teaching, Shorewood alumni have returned to help pull together the especially challenging school edition of "Avenue Q." Bill Trost, from the class of 1953, has put in about 500 hours with Shorewood senior Emily Hoffman to craft the puppets for the show. Alumna Holly Stanfield is assistant directing, and alumnus William Hindin is directing and conducting the music. Both are from the class of '72. Peggy Peterson-Ryan, who graduated in 1970, is assisting Hindin. And Helen Morrison, from the class of '74, is in from Tokyo to help with the choreography. The show has been edited from the original version to make it more age-appropriate. Trekkie Monster…

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Jenny Heyden

6:46 pm on Thursday, February 16, 2012

http://beta.realmilwaukeenow.com/2012/tony-gives-you-a-special-preview-of-the-shorewood-high-school-production-of-avenue-q/   more ›

Shorewood Alumni Come to Rescue of Beloved Drama Director

With treatments for breast cancer having Shorewood High School drama legend Barbara Gensler feeling weakness in her legs, her former students have come back to help.

What's Up This Week in Shorewood? Avenue Q; Search Starts for New Deputy Police Chief

A look ahead at the week's local events and news.

Here's a look at what's coming up this week in Shorewood. If we're missing something, you can add it to the calendar. Avenue Q comes to Capitol Drive — Shorewood High School drama students will hit the stage via puppetry Friday and Saturday for a production of Avenue Q. The modified high school edition of the Broadway musical comedy will run as planned both nights at 8 p.m. in the high school auditorium, 1701 E. Capitol Dr., but after a show on Sunday was canceled, a behind-the-scenes event for children was added for 2 p.m. on Saturday. Children will get a backstage and onstage look at the production, see the orchestra pit, meet puppet makers, and the production's music director and choreographer. Student actors will be on hand to sing a …

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The Shorewood Insider

Puppet Makers Bring Avenue Q to Capitol Drive

A Shorewood alumnus and high school student work together to create 25 cast members for the local production of the musical comedy, debuting Feb. 17.

In preparation for the Feb. 17 opening of Shorewood's production of the musical comedy Avenue Q, Bill Trost, Class of '53, and Shorewood High School senior Emily Hoffman have been working tirelessly to create 25 cast members. "I saw the 'Muppet Movie' last year, and was just really inspired, so I started making puppets on my own," said Hoffman, who was giving puppet Nicky his signature hairstyle with a plain razor blade. Trost has many years of experience mounting shows at Shorewood. Following graduation, he assisted shows for the high school, Shorewood Players in the 1960's and met drama department Director Barbara Gensler when she started her career at SHS. Even Trost has learned many new things with these whimsical characters, and says …

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christel henke

7:19 am on Wednesday, January 11, 2012

What a cool project! Can't wait to see Avenue Q.   more ›