On May 16, Saint Brendan Elementary School students sat criss-cross applesauce on the floor of Father Lane Hall, excitedly staring at the curtain draped across the stage in front of them. Backstage, the 15 girls in the school’s drama club tried to sneak peeks through the curtain while shaking out their nerves.
Before rehearsals began 12 weeks ago, most of the girls knew “wicked” as just another adverb. But after three months of Thursday rehearsals and a successful matinee show of “Wicked,” the untold story of the Witches of Oz, the word defines an experience they’ll likely never forget.
“The girls learned so much about teamwork, how important it is to pay attention, how important it was to learn the dance moves and practice at home, building each other up, supporting each other, and cheering each other on,” said Kim Delano, coordinator of fundraising at St. Brendan’s, a pre-K through Grade 6 parish-based Catholic school in Dorchester. “Most of all, we had so much fun.”
In the 30-minute rendition directed by Delano and assistant principal Ashley Tringale, the all-girl troupe shared the story of the complex friendship between two very different witches.
Glinda the Good was played by third-grade student Meghan Gracia and narrated by second-grader Grace Ryan while Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, was played by second-grader Bernadette Ashe and narrated by fourth-grader Evelyn Callahan.
Just minutes before their opening scene, ‘No One Mourns the Wicked,’ The Reporter caught up with the cast. Ten-year-old Philomena Mulcahy, originally cast as Glinda but later injured, said she was the one who asked to do the show in the first place.
“I actually had the idea. I sent a letter to our principal, Mrs. Burke, and she approved, and my friend Evelyn helped me with hanging posters up and stuff,” said Mulcahy. “We do the drama club, but all we do is sing one song for the other clubs that are there. I said to Mrs. Burke, ‘Could we do a couple of songs or a whole show with scenes and everything?’”
After Mrs. Burke gave the club the go, auditions began. “We were in our assistant principal’s office, and she took everyone who wanted to audition for Glinda and Elphaba, and we lined up in the hallway,” Mulcahy said. “I was the first one to audition, and we sang a bit of ‘What is This Feeling,’” which is featured in the show’s second scene.
When Mulcahy twisted her ankle, nine-year-old Meghan Gracia stepped up and into the pink, sparkly dress. “I had stage fright,” she said, adding that, thanks to rehearsals, she had “gotten very comfortable with singing in front of everybody.” Her favorite part of the performance is “Popular” in scene three.
Though Gracia took center stage on Friday afternoon, Mulcahy was stage left in a matching gown and crown, supporting her and the rest of the cast throughout the entire show.
Between the two of them and the ensemble of Pink Shiz Students made up of Kate Griffin, Gwen Moran, Delaney Passafaro, Clodagh Rioux, Grace Ryan, and Maddy Ryan, Glinda was well represented on stage.
Meanwhile, Green Shiz Students Evelyn Callahan, Vivian Doherty, Shea Flaherty, Mary Harrison, Sinead Harrison, and Lana O’Reilly backed eight-year-old Bernadette Ashe in her role as Elphaba.
Her outfit was quite different. Instead of a light pink dress, she wore all-black, in sharp contrast to her “greenified” face. With hazel eyes peering through the bright face paint, Ashe said, “Ever since I saw “Wicked” on Broadway about a year ago, I really wanted to get the role of Elphaba because I love singing ‘Defying Gravity.’”
Ashe said she has seen the movie multiple times and dressed up as Elphaba for Halloween. Of “Wicked,” she said: “I think it’s one of the best things that’s happened in my five years that I’ve been at this school.”
During the final scene, she fulfilled her dream of singing ‘Defying Gravity’ as she rode a broom across the stage.
“The show went absolutely amazing! The girls worked so hard!” said Delano in summing up the proceedings. “The response from the audience was great. Everyone was very surprised at the hard work the girls put in in our very short rehearsal period. They just couldn’t believe how amazing everyone did. They felt like they were at a real Broadway show.”
After taking their final bows, the girls signed autographs for their classmates and accepted flowers, balloons, and hugs from family members and friends. Looking ahead, the Drama Club plans to perform Wicked Part Two in 2027.
