On January 15, the drama department announced the 2025 Jones College Prep musical to be Company. 

“I’m really excited. I had heard of [Company] before, and now I’ve seen some videos and listened to it and I think the music is really amazing,” said Natasha Friedman ‘25. 

With the announcement of this year’s musical, students compare it to past productions, including Ellery Kohn ‘27 who participated in her freshman year. 

“This musical is more technical, and it has songs that stand out more to the audience,” said Kohn. 

In terms of the story itself, the director of the show, Brennan Roach, believes that students will be able to connect their own lives to it and relate to the characters. 

“Company is a story that centers around one individual who just has one foot out on a lot of their connections with their friends and holds back. There’s this sense of protection and not wanting to get too vulnerable,” said Roach. 

Roach compares the narrative of the script to experiences many share at Jones. 

“That risk we often feel in a space like Jones, where there’s so much perceived expectation,” said Roach. 

While many students are enthusiastic, there are certain drawbacks. 

“Last year there were 40 positions to be in, and this year there are 14 roles. So it’s a big change and some people won’t be happy,” said Kohn.

Past productions of Company have changed details about certain characters, which influenced decisions made for the roles at Jones.  

“There was a 2021 revival of the show in which they gender-swapped a lot of the cast. And it’s going to be interesting to see which roles we keep gender soft, and which ones will go back to the original,” said Friedman. 

These alterations not only modernized the show, but also introduced a fresh perspective on the characters. 

“Company originally came out in the 70s, and if you look at the original script there’s things that feel that way in it. One of the really cool things they did in the revival is they kept the text and flipped the names of the husbands and wives,” said Roach. 

The actors, director, and rest of the crew prepare to overcome the typical challenges that come with large productions. 

“We are short on time, and I think it’s going to be a lot of having to work as hard as we possibly can for the next few months so we can get this thing on its feet,” said Friedman.

Despite the quick turnaround from auditions to opening night, all of the students who participate in the musical make it a priority for their time at Jones.

“I’ve done every musical here, and it’s definitely where I found my people and where I found what I want to do in my time after school,” said Friedman.

As the show becomes a principal part of students’ lives, the community built during production is a huge component of the musical. 

“The most rewarding part is the people I’ve met. I’ve had some close relationships with people because of the musical and that’s really exciting,” said Kohn. 

In the end, it’s the performers and technicians that make the show memorable, and their collaboration and shared passion that brings it to life. 

“There’s a vibe, like a chemistry that appears that you couldn’t even have imagined, because maybe these people have never even met each other before, but something happens and everything falls into place,” said Roach. 

This show in particular has been predicted to help strengthen these bonds and create new ones as well. 

“The reason I do theater is because with each show, it lets us gain empathy for other people’s perspectives and expand our worldview. And this show especially is all about the complex lives of other people, lives that we get to just take a sneak peek into,” said Friedman.