In early March, the winter musical will return to the Mount Greylock stage with a Bang. Mount Greylock students will perform Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, a 1968 musical based on a book by Ian Fleming, with the help of director Jeffery Welch. 

The musical follows an English inventor who builds a race car for his two children. This isn’t any ordinary race car; this one can float and fly. Drama ensues when the highly sought after car is stolen. 

Auditions took place before winter break, and rehearsals started Monday, January 3rd. The cast list, featuring many returning members, is listed below.

This year, in order to comply with COVID regulations, the musical will look different than it has in the past. Due to the required distance between wind instruments, there will be no pit orchestra for this year’s performances. In addition, actors and actresses will be masked at all times, and there will not be any large ensemble scenes. 

Last year, the theater department put on a virtual musical performance. The thirteen individuals who participated performed a solo or small group piece of their choice, and the musical was then broadcasted on YouTube. 

Although Welch was pleased with the outcome of the virtual performance, he is most excited for “being in person” and “putting the cast back together” this year.  

“Last year was good in the sense that it gave people, who really wanted to, a chance to do a solo piece,” Welch said. “But cast is good; ensemble is good; it’s what makes the whole experience like any other team sport.”

“The interaction was very different,” said Welch. “There’s energy of a different sort when people are just in their little zoom boxes, so it was a lot different than doing it in person.”

Working alongside Welch, band and choral teacher Jacqueline Vinette is the musical director. Welch expressed excitement to work with new colleagues, as this will be Vinette’s first time in this position.

Cast List

Jeremy Potts: Yeshe Rai

Jemima Potts: Frankie Evans

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang: Cast

Caractacus Potts: Vincent Welch

Truly Scrumptious: Olivia McKeon

Grandpa: Jonah Hane

Miss Philips: Grace Winters

Lord Scrumptious: Cole Wetherell

Baron: Che Guerra

Baroness: Claire Burrow

Ensemble: Sam Beck, Alex Briggs, Lila Cohen- McFall, Mai Dekel, Ben Dingman,

Kaeya Durley, Sara Ehle, Sabine Guerra, Lyric Jackson, Bella Jannini, Luka Lash- St

John, Solana Lash- St John, Grace Malone, Kelsey Santolin, Jennah Simpson, Kiersten

Simpson, Lincoln Simpson, Serafina Velasquez

Accompanist: Sam Tucker- Smith

Dance Captains: Elena Caplinger and Catherine McAllister

Crew: Trix Dawson, Jack Uhas