Back to the 80s
Join the graduating class of William Ocean High School as they live through their final senior year - as they experience the fun, the heartbreak, the loves and the loneliness of growing up.... all set to the biggest hits of the 80's!!
Performance Dates: July 24, 25, 26, 31 and August 1, 2009
Episode 3
Episode 2
Episode 1
The play was directed and choreographed by Annelise Hoshal, Baker College student, long-time Bohaty dancer, and veteran of 24 productions with the Owosso Players. Chris Sprink, retired Owosso High School vocal teacher, was in charge of both the vocal and orchestral music for this production. Mike Kruszkowski managed the stage and Charlotte Hoshal acted as producer for the project.
BACK TO THE 80’S, The Totally Awesome Musical, opens with Corey Palmer (a now 30-something adult played by Jason Reich) reminiscing about the good times and great music he experienced at William Ocean High School. The audience is transported back to the 1980s to experience Corey’s high school days. Some of the teenagers who populate his memories are: Corey Palmer (the younger version) played by Owosso high school senior, Mark VanAlstine; Andrew Snyder, from Kettering University as WOHS football star and Corey’s chief rival, Michael Feldman; the girl next door—quite literally—Tiffany Houston, played by Alaina Kraus; and Cyndi Gibson, a typical 80’s “Madonna- wannbe,” portrayed by recent Owosso High School graduate, Charity Smith. No high school class would be complete with the class nerd and WOHS has one in Feargal McFerrin III played by Zach Crawford of Corunna High School.
Two teachers play an important part in Corey’s high school memories—Miss Sheena Brannigan and Mr. Stevie Cocker—portrayed by returning Owosso player, Karrie Rupert and new-comer Herb Mitchell. The private lives of our faculty bring even more 80’s drama to the show.
Michael Feldman’s cool inner-circle of friends, Billy Arnold, Lionel Astley, and Huey Jackson, are played by Isaiah Reich, Cory Tepatti, and Nick Fredrick—all local Owosso talent. Rounding out the “cool crowd” Mel Easton (best friend to Cyndi and Tiffany) is portrayed by Kyrie Higgins. Corey and his friends, Alf Bueller and Kirk Keaton, portrayed by Jared Rupert and Eric Locker, are still into BMX bikes, Star Wars and Teen-age Mutant Ninja Turtles. They have much more experience playing computer games than dating girls.
The “new girl” Eileen Reagan (played by Owosso high school senior Laura Hartsell) joins the class, and though she is rejected and made fun of by the popular crowd, she finds friendship with Feargal and his followers, Debbie Fox and Laura Wild (Amber Snook and Madaline Harkema).
The cast was rounded out by featured singer, Mary Erickson, back-up singer Rachel Osmer and an able chorus of Joseph Moore, Ryan Cragg, Rachel Osmer, Matt Gerding , Angela Allen, Colton Auge, Ashlynn Orrison, Injut Sovis, and Raelea Gross.