This school year has been tough. We have had to face stress related to COVID, as well as COVID-related problems such as days of virtual school and more. Now it is time to come together as a community, enjoy a night of fun and laughter, and raise money for important charities and organizations in our community. This year’s Dr. Harriton is coming up on Friday, February 25th, so make sure to buy your tickets soon!

I interviewed two of Dr. Harriton’s contestants: Hugo Paulat (‘22) and Brad Garber (‘22), to learn more about them and the upcoming show.

The Harriton Banner: What was your first experience with Dr. Harriton? (ie. going to the show when you were a freshman, having an older sibling go through the experience)?

Hugo Paulat: The first time I attended Dr. Harriton was my freshman year. It caught my attention because my friend’s older sister was running part of the show, so I went to support the cause and have fun with my friends.

Brad Garber: I first heard about the show my freshman year. My friends and I all went; It was a great school wide event and I was glad I attended it. 

THB: What do you think is special about this show? Why is it so integral to Harriton’s community?

HP: There are so many reasons this show is integral to the community, the main one being that it will never get old to watch students embarrass themselves while performing ridiculous dances and talents. Even if you don’t know any of the people on stage, the performances are always hilarious, and you can tell that it has been made with lots of passion and dedication.

BG: Dr. Harriton is so special because this show is so integral to Harriton’s culture because it is an event that everyone can enjoy. Whether you enjoy sports, theater, dance, etc you will find something you enjoy at Dr. Harriton. Dr. Harriton also rallies the Harriton community to give back [by donating] to charity which is a large part of our culture.

THB: How is the Dr. Harriton experience different from anything you have done before?

HP: This is probably the first time I’ll have to perform on stage in front of so many people… so that’s pretty scary. On the other hand, I think that this show has allowed me to make a lot of great friendships, and try things I never thought I’d be doing before.

BG: The Dr. Harriton experience is different from anything I’ve done because I have never had to practice something for months just to perform one time. 

THB: How has COVID had an impact on the show? How do you feel about the changes?

BG: Multiple contestants including myself have gotten COVID since we started practicing. Due to this, we missed a couple weeks of practice. This forced us to work even harder at the practices that we did attend.

THB: What has the experience of preparing for Dr. Harriton been like so far for you? Could you share any funny rehearsal stories or a lesson that you learned over the past months?

HP: It’s been tough, but also extremely fulfilling. Scheduling/working together is always a huge challenge, especially when the whole event is student-led. On the other hand, I also feel like this show has given me so many great memories. Some of my favorites were getting to see how ridiculous everyone looked in their costumes (especially Lucas and Carter), as well as “Hugo Martinez.”

BG: The experience of preparing has been fun but definitely a lot of work. One of the funniest experiences happened in the first week of practice, when we all realized some of the dance moves were way harder to perform than we all anticipated. 

THB: What is one past Dr. Harriton performance that you will always remember?

HP: My favorite performance would probably have to be Matt Pearl’s talk box freshman year.

BG: I will always remember Andy Wu playing the piano because he was great at it. 

From COVID to performing, this year’s Dr. Harriton contestants have come a long way and dealt with a lot while preparing for Dr. Harriton. They have faced their fears, practiced for months, and worked out complicated schedules to create a show that everyone can enjoy. Be sure to buy your tickets today and keep an eye out for Hugo and Brad, who will be competing for the 15th annual Dr. Harriton title!