Cypress Lake presents 'Sweet Charity' as first show of the year

Cypress Lake High School Center for the Arts performs "Sweet Charity," a Broadway musical based on a Neil Simon play, Nov. 19-22. The show is a story about a lovelorn New York dance hall hostess, Charity Hope Valentine, who dreams of an old-fashioned romance but gives her heart to one undeserving man after another.

Cypress Lake High's musical production will be the first Lee County high school musical of the year. Casting is complete and the rehearsal schedule set. This year, the production will be enhanced with high tech computer graphic imagery, in addition to the numerous sets and props constructed by the students.

In 2008, Scott Saxon, general manager of the Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall, began a program called Lee County High School Musical Awards to support and promote theater arts in Lee County high schools. High school musical productions are judged and an awards ceremony takes place at Barbara B. Mann in May. For two years running, Cypress Lake High School has won several of the High School Tony Awards, including the Best Overall Production Award in both 2008 and 2009 for its productions of "All Shook Up" and "The Producers." The musical awards are growing in popularity. In 2008, only four schools competed. In 2009, the number of participating schools doubled.

The musical production of "Sweet Charity" will be adjudicated, meaning it will be eligible to perform at the Florida State Thespian Festival. The festival takes place in Tampa and high school students from all over the state compete in a variety of different categories for the coveted superior and excellent awards.

The Cypress Lake High School auditorium is at 6750 Panther Lane, Fort Myers. The show starts at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 19-22 (doors open at 7 p.m.). The curtain is at 7 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 22 (doors open at 6:30 p.m.). Admission is $10 per person. For more information, call 481-2233 weekdays between 7 a.m. and 2 p.m.