Weekend Showcase: Champlin Park’s “Blood Brothers”
Champlin Park High School students present a moving performance in the tragic show, “Blood Brothers.”
“It’s about these two twin brothers who are separated at birth because their mother is too poor to keep both of them,” explains Patrick McArdle, who is the narrator. “She gives one of them away to a richer mother and the two of them grow up never really knowing that they’re twins, but constantly finding themselves back in each other’s life.”
A Superstition
A superstition adds to the intrigue of the show. Supposedly if the boys ever find out they are brothers, they will die.
Will Gaspar plays Mickey and says the show has stretched his abilities as an actor.
“I’ve learned so many new skills as an actor to like really get those gut wrenching scenes, that emotion,” says Gaspar. “This has been the hardest show I’ve ever done.”
Cecily Gaspar gives an outstanding performance as Mrs. Johnstone. Her character is the biological mother of both boys and cleans the house of the wealthy family who adopted her other son.
“It’s a very hard show to work on,” says Cecily Gaspar. “Its really fun to be able to explore the character and find the depth of the characters. You have to be able to be very vulnerable onstage, which is very fun.”
Connor Bitterman plays the character Eddie. He says it’s a treat to perform in a relatively unknown production.
“The audience going in, they’re not going to know what’s going to happen or what’s going on,” says Bitterman. “In the end, things will just all click together and then, who knows, maybe people will want to see it again.”
When to see “Blood Brothers”
Show dates are: May 3, 4, 9, 10, 11 – 7:30pm and Sunday, May 5 – 2:30pm. at Champlin Park High School Theater
All tickets are general admission seating and go on sale an hour before the performance. For more information go to the Champlin Park Theater website.
Champlin Park High School
