School Committee Honors ‘In the Heights’ Cast and Crew

By Michael Coughlin Jr.

 About a month after the success of the first musical at Revere High School (RHS) in 30 years – the Revere School Committee recognized the cast and crew of “In the Heights” during its regular school committee meeting on Tuesday, May 16.

Back on Wednesday, Apr. 12, and Thursday, Apr. 13, the RHS Drama Club, with the help of Kristina Menissian and Tina Marie Petty, put on “In the Heights,” a musical by the world-renowned Lin-Manuel Miranda.

RHS Drama Club’s rendition of the musical was so well-received that the committee honored the cast and crew by calling their names and awarding them a certificate of recognition “For the invaluable team effort and contributions to Revere High School’s first musical in 30 years.”

The certificate of recognition also honors the cast and crew; further, “Your selfless dedication, hard work, and generosity to bring ‘In the Heights’ to our stage have made a significant impact, and we are grateful.”

Last month’s show undoubtedly had a significant impact on those who were lucky enough to catch the performances, as Superintendent of Schools Dr. Dianne Kelly indicated she had gotten calls from people throughout the state complimenting the performance.

“This was such an amazing production, and I know that it touched the hearts and the minds of the students who were involved, but it touched the hearts and the minds of everybody else as well,” said Kelly.

“It was so awesome. You really, really are the pride of Revere, and we’re very thankful to have the opportunity to work with all of these brilliant minds.”

Several other committee members, like Carol Tye and Aisha Milbury-Ellis, also spoke about the special performance.

“I’ve been around this school system for more than 60 years, and I can tell you that there has never, never been anything like this – never. I will never forget what you did,” said Tye.

Milbury-Ellis, a self-described huge theater buff, said, “I have to say, when I was asked about your performance, I said it was like going into town. I might as well have been in Boston at any theater watching any performance because it was top-grade, professional. You should be so, so proud of yourselves.”

As Kelly indicated, RHS’ performance of “In the Heights” “touched the hearts and the minds of the students who were involved,” by the end of the meeting, it was clear how much of an impact the RHS Drama Club and this production has had on students.

Later in the meeting, during the Superintendent report, there was a Fine Arts Department presentation where several students spoke about what RHS Drama Club has meant to them.

One student – a freshman who was a featured ensemble member in the production described how impactful “In the Heights,” and RHS Drama Club has been.

“Not only did Revere Drama help me make new friends – it also helped me discover a passion for something I barely knew I had,” said the student.

The student continued, “Through this drama program, I’ve grown in ways like being a better singer, actor but also a better person in traits like cooperation, patience, and confidence.”

Overall, it is clear how significant this performance and RHS Drama Club have been for students and spectators of the production alike. If you missed the performance in person, you can visit – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FiLFTrw8GJc&ab_channel=RevereTV to watch.

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