Get excited for another spectacular performance of Dr. Harriton! Coming up on Friday, February 25th, the show will feature a variety of Harriton students including Holly Montesino and Sophie Baskin, two Harriton seniors who are thrilled to be a part of the sensational performance. Year after year, Dr. Harriton has served as a massive school-wide event filled with excitement and school spirit, and this year is no exception. Along with drawing up quite the crowd of students, parents, and supporters, Dr. Harriton raises money for two incredible charities within our community. 

Following an interview with two performers – Holly and Sophie – both had plenty to say about the upcoming event.

The Harriton Banner: How would you describe Dr. Harriton? What do you think is so special about the show?

Holly Montesino: Dr. Harriton has been such a fun experience and it really helped me get to know and get closer to a lot of my fellow seniors. Overall, I would say Dr. Harriton is an experience I will never forget, and I’m really grateful I got a chance to be a part of it.

Sophie Baskin: I’d definitely describe it as a lot of work. I’ve lost track of the amount of times I referred to it as “herding cats.” Not only was it a lot of work learning the dances and getting the show together, but all around just maintaining focus during practices. I think that Dr. Harriton is so special because it brings together students from all different realms of the school, creating a show for everyone to enjoy.

THB: Why did you decide to participate in the event this year?

HM: I wanted to be in Dr. Harriton since I first saw the Dr. Harriton graffiti…in the cafeteria. I hadn’t participated in a lot of school events so I thought this would be an awesome way to end my high school career.

SB: When I was a freshman, I told myself that in my senior year, I would either write and direct a one-act for the winter show for HTC, or I would be in Dr. Harriton. When it came time for auditions, I wanted to put myself out there and do something freshman me would have been scared of.

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?

HM: I think the experience has been interesting. Even though we all put in a lot of work, we all would naturally get distracted and had a lot of funny moments. We do some minor tricks, which have led to a lot of mistakes and a lot of laughs.

SB: Very sweaty. In all seriousness, I had no idea just how much work and time it would take to make sure that the show came out well. As someone who takes after her dad when it comes to dancing, I’d say that that was probably the most…”interesting” part for me. I’ve learned that dancing is harder than it looks and I have gained an immense amount of respect for anyone that does it.

THB: What are you most looking forward to on show night?

HM: I’m really excited to see all of the people showing up to support us enjoying the show and I really hope we raise a lot of money this year. Can’t wait to see that final total!

SB: Being able to see all of our hard work pay off. When we first started, we were told that we wouldn’t be able to accommodate 100% capacity in the auditorium, which got everyone down A LOT. When we found out the week of the show that that had changed and we could finally get a full audience, the cheers and the joy in the room was overwhelming. I can’t wait to be able to bring back the Dr. Harriton that everyone has missed these past few years.

THB: How does it feel to be competing in an event that has been predominantly made up of male contestants in past years?

HM: To be honest I was a little worried at first, but honestly I don’t think my gender has affected me a lot except for having some minor costuming differences. Everyones treated me great and I’ve been having a lot of fun.

SB: It’s been a challenge. All of the guys are great, but as one of two female contestants, we’ve definitely had our work cut out for us. For me especially, my main concern was that because in the past it has been predominantly male contestants, I didn’t want anyone to think any less of the show because Holly and I were competing in it as well. At the same time, I felt the pressure that came with being a female contestant. It felt like I had no room to make mistakes because I wanted younger female students to look at Holly and myself and imagine themselves up on that stage one day as well. Holly and I both wanted to make “Dr. Harriton history” by being involved as contestants and we–as well as the guys–have worked extremely hard to get ourselves, and the show, to the point that it’s at.

To see more of Holly and Sophie, be sure to watch the 15th annual Dr. Harriton on February 25th. It will certainly be another incredible performance, one that will draw up school-wide excitement and an unforgettable experience.