Disability Access News

By Dirk Perrefort Staff Writer
Article Last Updated: 03/14/2008 12:42:38 PM EDT

NEWTOWN -- Ryan Silveira, a senior at the high school, knows that it takes more than just having perfect pitch to put on a great musical production.

It also takes a great team.

Silveira, who will be portraying Rudolph the headwaiter during tonight's performance of "Hello Dolly," said the cast is one of the most dedicated and talented yet.

He has performed in many productions at the school and was selected to perform in the All-State Music Festival every year since he was a freshman.

"Everyone is putting their all into the performance," Silveira said.

He added that Sydney Russell, another student in the show, has done a fantastic job of bringing the character of Dolly to life. Quinlan Mitchell, he said, has also done a wonderful job portraying Horace, one of nine lead roles in the musical.

"It's been an extraordinary experience working with the entire cast," he said.

Besides having perfect pitch, which the director said he has only seen three times in his life, Silveira, 18, is also blind. The disability, however, does little to stop the student from pursuing his passion.

"It's all about making modifications," he said. "I'm no different than anyone else. I just can't see."

John Harned, who directs the school's chorus and the musical, said theater productions have been a tradition at the high school.

"You can throw just about anything at these students and they'll pull it off," he said. "They are all of a very high caliber."

An emphasis of music throughout

the town's schools definitely helps, he said.

"The performance you'll see on the stage tonight is the result of all the hard work and dedication of teachers in all the schools," he said.

Harned added that Silveira is a real asset to the program and "part of an outstanding cast of kids who have all put in a lot of effort."

"Hello Dolly," which is playing at the school through Sunday, is a 10-time Tony-awarding winning musical about two overworked store clerks and Dolly -- a matchmaker -- who finds the greatest match of all for herself.