NO SCHOOL: Thanksgiving Recess
Albany High School’s award-winning Theatre Ensemble turns a dated Broadway musical into an exploration of sexism and misogyny in its upcoming production of "Sweet Charity."
The play opens with a 7 p.m. performance on Thursday, March 28. Additional performances will be at 7 p.m. Friday, March 29, and Saturday, March 30 with a matinee at 2 p.m. Sunday, March 31.
Tickets are $15 for general admission and $5 for students and seniors.
Based on Federico Fellini's 1957 Italian film classic "The Nights of Cabiria," "Sweet Charity" focuses on the life of a New York City dance hall hostess named Charity Hope Valentine.
“Charity is a woman on a life-long quest to find love. While this may seem like a noble endeavor, she navigates the world under the notion that her worth and happiness is predicated on her ability to please a man. Her chosen field of employment exposes her to the underbelly of New York life for sex workers and the men involved,” said Theatre Ensemble Director Ward Dales, who co-directs the play with Gregory Theodore Marsh.
In Albany High’s production, Charity and her fellow dance hall hostesses display autonomy and force us to challenge institutions that question female consent. Dales said their show intentionally views the original play (it debuted on Broadway in 1966) through a feminist lens.
"How can we avoid reflecting on the autonomy of women in a play where women are selling themselves short and literally? What happens when we explore sexist literature and we give our young ones permission to express their rage, their fear, their disgust and their guilt? They become more powerful, more themselves. They become educators and allies, and we surely need more of these, now more than ever," Dales said.
The show contains mature themes and may not be suitable for younger children.
The mission of the City School District of Albany is to educate and prepare all students for college and career, citizenship and life, in partnership with our diverse community. The district serves approximately 9,500 students in 18 elementary, middle and high schools. In addition to neighborhood schools, the district includes several magnet schools and programs, as well as other innovative academic opportunities for students, including four themed academies at Albany High School.
