The Harrison High School Drama Club presents “Bubble Boy,” April 10, 11 and 12, a musical five years in the making.
In March 2020, the club cast and crew were putting the final touches on “Bubble Boy” when the production was shut down by the COVID-19 pandemic. The cast moved on, taking the memories and friendships created along with them while the materials were packed away with the hopes of someday resurrecting this story.
Five years later, and a new bubble is rising.
Director and designer Colin Shields says he is excited to once again collect the perfect cast to take on this challenge. Shields, who not only directs and designs the set, also handles costumes and lighting for the musical, and has used the last few years to tweak his design, hoping to revisit the piece.
“This show calls for a visual treat, and the improvements we have made to our program since we last mounted Bubble Boy have led to some very sophisticated and intricate moments on stage,” he says.
The most interesting aspect for Shields is using the technology of the future to evoke the past.
“Our production of ‘Bubble Boy’ is set in the late 1980s, and we have used advanced fabric and garment printing services to recall the wild patterns of the decade,” Shields says. “The Drama Club meticulously hand makes all of our own costumes, and the ability now to print our own fabrics has allowed us to fully realize these characters.
“It’s exciting to have the opportunity to bring this eye popping production to the stage.”
This year’s staff includes musical director Danny Conde, who says he is also excited to revisit this.
“Bubble Boy” is the story of Jimmy Livingston, a boy born without immunities who has spent his entire life confined inside a plastic bubble room. Enter Chloe, the girl next door, who becomes his friend and steals his heart.
When she leaves town to get married, Jimmy travels cross-country in a homemade bubble suit in order to tell her how he really feels. Along the laugh-filled journey, he deals with a crazy cult, a biker gang, a dead cow and a controlling mother who will stop at nothing to get him back in the bubble.
Mary Pat Shields is back in the producer’s chair and says she is thrilled to be bringing this musical to the Harrison school community. That could not happen, she says, without dedicated volunteers like Celina and Pedro Pereira and the generous financial support of the Harrison business community.
Shields says: “Our goal every year is to bring affordable entertainment to the families of Harrison. Last year our family night performance — where we welcomed you to bring the whole family and pay what you can — was a huge success. We have not changed our ticket prices in well over a decade, and that’s very intentional. We want our students to have the opportunity to see live theater, there’s nothing quite like it.”
The club has elevated its productions beyond the ordinary high school musical; members have been distinguished by numerous awards from the Papermill Playhouse.
The playhouse’s Rising Star awards were created to encourage and reward exceptional accomplishments in the production of New Jersey high school musicals. Harrison HS competes with over 100 high schools throughout the state, taking home 13 nominations and eight wins.
“We are proud to represent Harrison in the vital field of the arts. They are more important now than ever,” Colin Shields says. “It is not only a benefit for the students who participate in the Drama Club, but for every student in our district who is invited to attend free matinee performances.
“Bubble Boy” will be presented April 10, 11 and 12 at 7:30 p.m., in the high school auditorium, 401 Kingsland Ave., Harrison. Tickets are sold at the door and are $10 for adults and $5 for students and senior citizens. Friday night is family night — any size donation accepted.
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Kevin A. Canessa Jr. is the editor of and broadcaster at The Observer, an organization he has served since 2006. He is responsible for the editorial content of the newspaper and website, the production of the e-Newspaper, writing several stories per week (including the weekly editorial), conducting live broadcasts on social media channels such as YouTube, Facebook, and X, including a weekly recap of the news — and much more behind the scenes. Between 2006 and 2008, he introduced the newspaper to its first-ever blog — which included podcasts, audio and video. Originally from Jersey City, Kevin lived in Kearny until 2004, lived in Port St. Lucie. Florida, for four years until February 2016 and in March of that year, he moved back to Kearny to return to The Observer full time. Click Here to send Kevin an email.