Harvest Christian Academy presents ‘Chitty Chitty Bang Bang’
Harvest Christian Academy is putting on “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” for their 2024 spring musical.
Join this talented cast as they sing and dance their way across the stage for three performances, at 7 p.m. Thursday and Friday, March 7-8, and a matinee at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 9, in the Worship Center of Harvest Bible Chapel, 1000 N. Randall Road, Elgin.
Tickets may be purchase for $15 online at www.harvesttheaterarts.org or at the door.
The musical follows the story of widower Caractacus Potts (senior Isaiah Irion) and his two children, Jeremy (fourth-grader Noah Reissig) and Jemima (fifth-grader Eliza Winkelman), as they work to find ways to salvage and rebuild the intriguing, magical car affectionately called Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
To fund this endeavor, Potts hopes to sell one of his many unique inventions from intriguing candy that whistles to his very own hair-cutting machine. Along the way, he meets Truly Scruptious (senior Salome Simmons), heiress to the candy factory fortune who enjoys his children and also wants to see the car saved. But all must watch out for the devious Baron (freshman Eli Constante) and Baroness (senior Madison Tatum) Bomburst who want nothing more than to take the car for themselves. Through a series of captivating songs and dances as well as comedy gold from two spies (senior Izzy Laird and sophomore Linnea Axelson), audiences will come to discover the fate of the Potts family as well as beloved Chitty.
When asked one of her favorite things about being in HCA’s musicals, senior Salome Simmons says, “I’ve enjoyed how much the older kids and younger kids interact with each other! Usually, scenes are catered toward a specific age group, but in Chitty we have the opportunity to perform scenes together.”
Agreeing, senior Madison Tatum says, “The theater community is unlike any other. There is no other place in school where a fourth-grader can connect with a senior in high school. It challenges you to think outside of yourself and be invested in something bigger. I am very thankful to the Lord, the directors, the countless volunteers, and the amazing community that theater has gifted me. I will miss it dearly.”
With over 20 years of theatrical experience, HCA’s Theater Arts Department director Michelle Strissel teams up with a talented group of leaders including HCA’s music teacher and vocal director Jennifer Melugin and choreographer Victoria Strissel, as well as a host of gifted volunteers to make this production a success.