Back to the 80s: The Totally Awesome Musical!

Congratulations to the Theatre Guild on three outstanding shows of Back to the 80s: The Totally Awesome Musical! in the Allan B. Rogers Memorial Theater!

Thank you to all who joined us for this nostalgic trip back in time to the era that brought the world The Rubik's Cube, Max Headroom, and The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

Show Dates

• 7:00 PM, Thursday, March 26, 2026
• 7:00 PM, Friday, March 27, 2026
• 3:00 PM, Saturday, March 28, 2026

Allan B. Rogers Memorial Theater, Central Catholic High School

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Theatre Guild and Production Details

• Media Coverage: The Raider Review
• Photo Album: Super Sunday Rehearsal
• Photo Album: Dress Rehearsal
• The Program
• About the Show
• Cast & Crew
• Dedication: Mrs. Sharman Merrill '87^SM
• About Theatre Guild

 

Media Coverage: The Raider Review

Be sure to read the article in the CCHS student newspaper, the Raider Review.

Heading Down Memory Lane: Back to the 80s!

This article by Charlaine Nyarko '27, Kailyn Khalil '28, Laila Kim '28, and Thomas DiStefano '28 includes a review of the show and interviews with cast and crew members.

 

Photo Album: Super Sunday Rehearsal

Click here to view and download photos on Raider SmugMug.

 

Photo Album: Dress Rehearsal

Click here to view and download photos on Raider SmugMug.

 

The Program

Program - Back to the 80s: The Totally Awesome Musical!

 

 

About the Show

From the era that brought the world The Rubik's Cube, Max Headroom and The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comes this "totally awesome" musical in the style of movies such as Back To The Future, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, The Karate Kid and The Wedding Singer.

Join the graduating class of William Ocean High School as they live through their final senior year - as they experience the fun, the heartbreak, the loves and the loneliness of growing up... all set to the biggest hits of the 80's!

Performed by arrangement with Music Theatre International on behalf of Josef Weinberger Ltd.

 

Cast, Crew, Staff, & Pit Musicians

The Cast

In order of appearance

• Corey Palmer (adult): Thomas DiStefano '28
• Mr. Steve Lowe: Caroline Weller '28
• Miss Sheena Brannigan: Joliet Naroian '28
• Corey Palmer: Jacoby Cascio '26
• Lionel Astley: Lucais Balurdi '27
• Michael Feldman: Ethan Hildonen '27
• Feargal McFerrin III: Amelia Phillips '26
• Tiffany Houston: Portia Angelone '27*
• Cyndi Gibson: Jaiden Padlan-Andrade '27
• Mel Easton: Julia LaSpina '26*
• Kim Easton: Rose Muller '26*
• Billy Arnold: John Dostoomian '29
• Alf Bueller: Grace Carey '27
• Kirk Keaton: Charlaine Nyarko '27
• Laura Wilde: Emma Correia '28
• Joan Benatar: Bridget Torrisi '26
• Eileen Reagan: Addy Brown '27
• Debbie Fox: Erin Farrell '27
• Huey Jackson: Addyson Plouffe '26
• Announcer / Radio DJ: John "Quinn" Green '26*

Ensemble

• Omar Cabrera '28
• Haley Costa '27
• Reagan Costello '27
• Ella Crawford '27
• Mackenzie DeStefano '26
• Sophia Faticanti '28
• Erin Flaherty '28
• Olivia Gulla '27
• Kailyn Khalil '28
• Laila Kim '28
• Karina LaChance '28
• Sophia Perrotta '28
• Eryk Petrillo '28
• Sarah Ramos '28
• Rafael Sanchez Gomez '27
• Joseph Skarbek '28

The Crew

• Braedon Barbagallo '27
• Laura Bennett '26
• Abby Callahan '28
• Reagan Costello '27
• Zoe Crouse '28
• Mason Crowley '26
• Michelle Cuevas Tineo '26
• Laura Dahbour '28
• Mackenzie DeStefano '26
• John “Quinn” Green '26*
• Lana Hayashi '26
• Ethan Hildonen '27
• MaryJo Jabbour '26
• Devin Jackson '28
• Julia LaSpina '26*
• Estefania Marrochi Polanco '27
• Ciera Naroian '29
• Ellie Paris '28
• Matt Perrault '26
• Eryk Petrillo '28
• Amelia Phillips '26
• Liam Phillips '26
• Mikayla Plouffe '29
• Jacob Rocha '27
• Enrique Sanchez Gomez '27
• Samantha Saraceno '27
• Bryce Seville '26
• Brendan Wozniak '26

Stage Manager

• Sierra Hudson '26*

Choreographers

• Portia Angelone '27*
• Lucais Balurdi '27
• Meredith Berkley '28
• Grace Carey '27
• Emma Correia '28
• Maddie Henlin '28
• Julia LaSpina '26*
• Michaela LaSpina '28
• Lyannis Reyes '26
• Bridget Torrisi '26

Please note that * denotes members of the Theatre Guild Executive Board for the 2025-2026 season.

Staff

• Directors
  • Mr. Matthew Joyal '08
  • Mrs. Christine Thompson '06
• Technical Director & House Manager
  • Mr. Mark Svendsen
• Vocal Director
  • Ms. Kellie Leavitt
• Hair & Makeup Coordinator
  • Mrs. Alyssa Gowing '05
• Box Office Manager
  • Mrs. Jessica LaBrie '09

Pit Musicians

• Mr. Rick Cavanaugh, Retired Science Faculty
• Mr. Brian Griffin, Science Faculty
• Mr. Timothy Hart '85, Campus Ministry
• Mr. Cameron Hebert '17, Mathematics Faculty
• Mr. Matthew Joyal '08, Social Studies, Fine & Performing Arts Faculty

 

 

The Dedication: Mrs. Sharman Merrill '87^SM

Mrs. Sharman Merrill is a Central Catholic Theatre Guild legend.

Over her eighteen seasons of leadership, she directed thirty-four shows, including well-loved but challenging musicals like Oklahoma!, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, The Wizard of Oz, and Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. 

She even wrote eight original plays, bringing lovable characters and important themes to the stage.

During her time as director, she welcomed hundreds of students into the Theatre Guild family.

She instilled an appreciation for the arts in her students, but more importantly, she taught them the importance of teamwork, kindness,and inclusivity. As she brought each current member of the Theatre Guild staff onto her production team, she taught us how to lead an organization with those same values. 

We strive to do justice to her example every rehearsal and every show. 

For these reasons, the Theatre Guild is proud to dedicate the entire run of Back to the 80s to Mrs. Sharman Merrill. As she is retiring this year after twenty-seven years of dedication to her students and the arts at Central Catholic, we felt it was important to acknowledge and celebrate her legacy.

Simply put, Theatre Guild could not be the program it is today without her. We owe her more for her love and inspiration than we could ever say.

 

About Theatre Guild

Theatre Guild is one of the oldest and largest extra-curricular activities at Central. The Theatre Guild stages two productions each school year - a fall play and a spring musical. Students of all experiences, backgrounds, and grade levels are welcomed to be involved in the shows.

Members may participate as part of the cast or working backstage as part of the crew. Auditions are held near the beginning of each semester for those that wish to participate on stage. For those students who wish to participate as part of the crew, there are a variety of roles including:

• hair & makeup,
• set design and construction,
• lighting and sound, and
• hospitality.

Contacts:

• Mr. Matthew Joyal, Co-Director, mjoyal@centralcatholic.net
• Ms. Christine Thompson, Co-Director, cthompson@centralcatholic.net