March 22nd through 24th Wayne Valley’s auditorium was filled with sweet sounds. The Wayne Valley theater recently performed Sweet Charity, a show following the endeavors of the optimistic Charity Hope Valentine. Charity, played by Hayley Budnick, works at the Fandango ballroom as a dance hall hostess along with Helen (Sabrina Shah),Nikki (Gianna DiTucci),and the girls. All of the hostesses despise their professions.  However, they do not dream of anything bigger, and instead, they accept their current situation.

Charity is able to dream of when she meets and falls in love with Oscar Lindquist (Jason Tobias).  Upon seeing Charity’s new life with Oscar, Helene and Nikki sing a song about their hopes and desires about the future. “Baby Dream Your Dream” is Sabrina Shah’s (Helene) favorite song “because I get to show a different side of Helen, her cold sassy exterior comes down when she reveals that she wants something better than this”

Sophomore Morgan Jelinsky loved how “the actors stayed in character the entire show” and Zach Barr, a senior, comments how the “costumes were very nice.” Everyone who say Sweet Charity can testify to the great theatrical performance of the play, awesome choreography, amazing set designs, and overall talent of the play. Not only did the audience love the show, the cast did as well. Performer Sophia Monte describes how the cast “came together” and how performing Sweet Charity “was one of the most fun times I’ve ever had doing a show!” Gianna Ditucci, the actress who played Nikki says, “It was such an amazing experience to be able to make so many new friends while doing what I love to do. I loved spending time with our cast, who all love to perform as much as I do, and then come together and put on a great show. Playing Nikki was the role of a lifetime, and I will always hold a special place in my heart for her, this musical, and this cast”.

Angie Cirovic, a performer in the play describes how “Sweet Charity was a challenge. We had to learn original Bob Fosse choreography and most of us didn’t have dance experience. Bob Fosse is one of the toughest choreographers because his choreography reflects what he was capable of. For example, Fosse had scoliosis and arthritis but still created dance moves off of his conditions. The dance number, Rich Man’s Frug, was one of the hardest to learn because of the weird choreography he created.  In the end, it was a good learning experience. We got to learn some history of the 60’s and of Broadway during that time. Sweet Charity is not a popular show, but by being a part of it, it gives the cast experience and culture for the future.”

This show, by all means, was a huge stunning, and sweet success. Congratulations to the cast and crew for creating a show full of fun, laughs, and good times!