Now that North Allegheny’s production of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street has concluded its run, the NASH choir’s next big event on the agenda is the trip to New York.
In late October of 2023, an email was sent out to parents and students informing them about the opportunity. They were notified that they would be given the chance to see three Broadway shows, take a Broadway clinic, and visit many tourist attractions.
“We are attending three broadway shows, Wicked, The Wiz, and Kimberly Akimbo, as well as a workshop led by cast members from Wicked,” Choir Director David Schmiech said. “We will visit the Museum of Modern Art, the 9/11 Museum, Ellen’s Stardust Diner, and Times Square.”
Schmiech has laid out the itinerary to ensure that students enjoy their time in New York in an organized manner. The shuttle buses will arrive on NASH’s campus on April 11th at 6:30am; from there, the buses will depart for New York. Students and chaperones are expected to arrive in Manhattan at approximately 4:00pm.
There will be an hour of organized free-time in Times Square before heading to Ellen’s Stardust Diner at 5:00pm. Following a dinner where the servers serenade their customers in song, students and chaperones will make their way to their first Broadway show, Wicked. The last event of the day will include the shuttle bus coming to transfer students and chaperones to Holiday Inn Hasbrouck Heights Meadowlands.
Senior choir member Evan Wilson explains what he is most excited to do on the trip
“I’m most looking forward to seeing Broadway shows with the people I’ve been doing shows with at school for years,” Wilson said.
For day two, students and chaperones will enjoy free breakfast at the hotel. Shortly afterwards, the shuttle will once again pick them up and take them back to Manhattan at 9:00 am. There, they will have the option to visit the September 11 National Museum or the American Museum of Natural History. After that, they will have lunch at a location that has yet to be determined. At 2:30pm, they will indulge in a self-guided tour of the Museum of Modern Art before dinner at John’s Pizzeria at 5:00pm. Following dinner, they will partake in their second Broadway show, The Wiz. Shuttle buses will then return students and chaperones to the hotel.
Junior choir member Chloe Dyczewski is also looking forward to the upcoming trip.
“I have been waiting since it was first announced,” she said. “I’m mostly excited to hang out with friends and watch musicals.”
The third and final day will begin with another breakfast at the hotel before heading back to Manhattan at 9:30am. At 10:00am, students will then have the opportunity to participate in a Broadway clinic run by cast members from the musical, Wicked. They will then see their third and final Broadway performance of the trip, Kimberly Akimbo. The shuttle bus will depart for Pittsburgh at 4:45pm, and arrive at NASH at 11:30pm.
For senior choir member Amanda Campos, this experience will be unlike anything she has ever known.
“I am so excited we get to see three Broadway shows,” she said. “I have only seen one Broadway show before and it was an incredible experience.”
Another senior, Mia Lanasa, is also eager for the trip to begin.
“I love New York City, and we are seeing some of my favorite Broadway shows,” Lanasa said.
For Schmiech, the trip is an important extension of his role in the classroom.
“Trips with music ensembles are an important way to help students feel engaged with each other, have experiences in new places, and experience being away from home for a few days,” he said. “We believe this is an invaluable time for students to create memories and experiences with each other before graduation.”
