Saint Joseph’s Catholic Academy gears up for first production in 2 years in renovated Boal Barn

For the past three days, the Boal Barn Playhouse has been a flurry of activity as students from Saint Joseph’s Catholic Academy prepare for their first production in two years.

In preparation for Thursday’s opening night of “Emma: A Pop Musical,” students have been moving into the historic theater, building sets, organizing costumes and checking equipment.

The Boal Barn Playhouse is the oldest arena barn theater in Pennsylvania and recently underwent renovations to add additional seating and make bathrooms accessible.

Director Joesph Hergenreder said the renovations have brought the barn back to life, including changing the setup so seats are on three sides of the barn, as opposed to four.

“We’re so glad we made the decision to be here,” Hergenreder said. “We’re excited to be a part of the renaissance of the barn.”

The musical is a reimagination of Jane Austen’s classic novel and boasts the school’s largest cast, with 36 students participating in the show. With other students operating as theater ushers and technical crew, more than a third of the school’s population will be involved in the production.

Sophia La Porta, who plays the titular role of Emma Woodhouse, said the jump from an ensemble cast member to a lead has been overwhelming at times but she’s received so much support from her fellow classmates.

“We’ve all been super involved in this, really just wanting this to be the best it can because we missed out on two years of what other productions could have been,” La Porta said.

Despite the cast having limited experience, the seniors who have participated in past musicals are helping to lead and teach younger students.

“Honestly, we didn’t have that maturation process through the years, so we were kind of pressed into a leadership role but it’s really fun to be able to teach people who don’t do theater as much,” Thomas Delahoy, who plays Jeff Knightly, said.

It’s been two years since Saint Joseph’s has put on a musical, after the cancellation of “Bring It On” in 2020, which directors and students refer to as “the lost musical.”

“Most of them are not theater kids, most of them are just seniors that showed up because they knew they had to make this show happen for the rest of the school,” Hergenreder said.

Senior Sam Yangola had no prior experience with theater but felt it was his last chance to try it and an opportunity to have fun with his friends and classmates.

“My goal was to get one line,” Yangola said. “I got more than one line, which is cool and I’m very surprised with how it turned out. ... It’s been a blast.”

The Boal Barn only seats 110, so the cast has added a Saturday matinee to make sure families and community members have the opportunity to come and see the musical in the renovated barn.

The cast has also adapted to the more intimate theater setting, being surrounded by the audience on three sides.

“I’ve never performed in a place quite like this before,” Delahoy said. “It’s going to be really cool to be able to play to all the audience directions.”

The barn’s history of musical performances is also not lost on the students, said senior Madi Mazza, who plays the lead role of Harriet Smith.

“It feels incredible to be a part of the history and be included as one of the many performances here over the years,” Mazza said. “It feels more like a family and community experience.”

The musical has not only been a schoolwide effort but a community one. As a smaller school, Saint Joseph’s does not have a full orchestra, but friends, family and community members have stepped in to serve in the pit orchestra for the performances.

Chad Walsh, the school’s director of alumni relations and stage director for the musical, said seeing everyone, especially the senior class, step up to put on the production has been inspiring.

“It’s definitely a matter of seizing the moment and not taking things for granted after the last few years,” Walsh said.

Performances run Thursday through Saturday and tickets can be purchased online at the school’s website.