This year, the MLHS theatre department put on a spectacular production of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast for the spring musical. For months leading up to the performance, the cast and crew began working diligently towards orchestrating a sensational performance. It is always an honor to work with the countless other individuals who work tirelessly and contribute in an abundance of different ways to guarantee a successful show.
As a member of the pit band, I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the production in the best way I can. The musical is one of the most memorable experiences of the school year in that it is not only enjoyable and exciting, but also very rewarding. This year’s selection of Beauty and the Beast especially excited me with the prospect of an opportunity to learn and play the iconic music of my childhood. It was a privilege to work with talented musicians, led by the beloved Mr. Bernotas, to bring to life the classic storybook fairytale and share it with the community.
Below members of this year’s pit band give behind-the-scenes comments on what it’s like to experience the musical from the pit.
Donovan Menard (junior, tuba/trombone)
“Playing in the pit band was a fantastic experience and it’s always been a highlight of the school year for me. It’s always a pleasure to work with our savior, Chris ‘Music’ Bernotas, who is always tirelessly fighting for and defending our rights, our humanity, and our freedom, and keeping us entertained with his showstopping and incredibly well-timed puns. My only regret is that someone decided that the overture wasn’t necessary…”
Melody Fu (junior, keyboard)
“Pit band is a long, tiring, two-month-long commitment, but every minute is so worth it. Mr. B makes every practice fun(ny), and the music from each year’s musical stays with you for a long time. Tech week is probably my favorite week of pit band- the sense of pride you get when watching the music click with the performance is the best feeling ever. Oh, and I’ll probably be referencing the inside jokes from Beauty and the Beast until next year’s musical – sorry if you hear us disrupting APUSH with our awful singing!”
Melissa Mao (junior, clarinet)
“Being a part of the pit band is always something I look forward to since the beginning of the school year. I’m always so excited to get the music and sound terrible at first. The most rewarding part is listening to our pit progress from absolute trash to being the Mountain Lakes High School Production OST (Original Soundtrack). Pit band is a great way to spend time with people who share the same love for music and drama. It’s always fun for the pit to talk spend time with the actors behind the scenes. This year, Lumiére and Cogsworth were the stars of the pit band’s conversations. The pit band also loves to witness the actors on stage rehearse, modify, and improve…it’s very rewarding.”
Diana Dziadyk (sophomore, clarinet)
This was my first year playing in the Pit Orchestra and it was absolutely amazing. I made so many new friends and through a lot of hard work we were able to create something incredible. It was so much fun to be a piece of such a big production. None of this could have happened without Mr. Bernatos’s inspiring words and dedication. He was always making us smile and believing in us. He made the Pit Orchestra one big family and I will definitely be back next year!”
Emily Hsiang (junior, tenor sax)
“I️ love pit band because it combines musicals, band, and my friends – all my favorite things! It’s a great way to be right in the middle of all of the excitement that comes with the musical without having to think about makeup and mic checks. My seat was right in front of the stage so I️ basically got whiplash from turning around to try and watch the show so many times… worth it though!”
Andie Credidio (junior, saxophone)
“Being part of the pit band has definitely been a highlight of my high school career. Probably the best part of pit band is the first rehearsal of tech week, when the crew, cast, and pit come together for the first time. That moment when all our hard work comes together is truly magical. Working with Mr. Bernotas and Ms. Penney has been a pleasure and it is very bittersweet to only have one more year with them!”
Madison Orlofski (junior, trumpet)
“Pit band is really one of the best things I’ve ever done, all the way from hacking through the first rehearsal to the last performance. The hours are long and the music is hard, but being part of the show and being able to play some of the most iconic music ever written is an absolutely amazing experience. It’s super strange to both know every single line of the play and also have huge gaps where you don’t know what happens on stage and may never know, and I think that being in the pit is the most fun thing to do in the show.”
Sandhya Rajagopalan (sophomore, flute)
“Pit band is a lot of fun because I love music, and I also have so many of my friends in the pit band, which makes it so much fun. Mr. Bernatos is also a lot of fun to work with because of his jokes and his tireless effort, especially during tech week. I initially joined the pit band because some of my friends joined in freshman year, so I joined with them. Since then, so many others joined and I made so many new friends! This year was a lot of fun because we knew the music so we could sing along to the songs we played.”
Megan Beik (sophomore, bassoon)
“I look forward to pit orchestra every year because it’s such a fun and memorable time! Not only do we learn more about music, we get to hang out with our friends and watch the musical come together! Beauty and the Beast is a well known story, perfect for all ages – there was no better choice for the musical this year.”
Thank you, to everyone involved, for a tremendous performance, and to everyone in the community who came out to see the show. We look forward to next year’s performance!
Megan Beik ('20) and her bassoon in the pit
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