PASCACK VALLEY—Pascack Hills High School’s theater closed for renovations in June, and with the departure of the Pascack Hills Players’ director to the West Coast, the theater program faced an uncertain future. The Pascack Valley Regional High School District, however, has seized the unique moment to unify the theater programs of both regional high schools, which serve Hillsdale, Montvale, River Vale, and Woodcliff Lake.
Tom and Merielle Lupfer, who have led Pascack Valley’s theater since 2007, will guide the newly combined program, “Pascack Theatre,” which says it “looks to harness the creativity, talent, and resources of the Pascack Hills Players and PV Theatre together to bring our work to new heights. We look forward to greeting you to our shows, held at Pascack Valley High School, for the 2024-25 season.”
Merielle, a Pascack Valley graduate, calls this opportunity her dream job. After joining forces with Tom, an NYU Educational Theatre program alumnus, the two built a flourishing program at Pascack Valley. Now they’re expanding its success to include students from both high schools.
Pascack Hills principal Tim Wieland tells Pascack Press, “In conversations with Mr. and Mrs. Lupfer and the Pascack Valley administration, the benefits of merging the two programs came to light. In addition to solving performance space and staffing issues, the merger allows the programs to pool resources and talent.”
Tom Lupfer adds that “As longtime fans of Hills Players shows, we are thrilled to welcome our sister school and work with all the students of the Pascack Valley Regional District. Having more students excited to share their passion and creativity enriches our work.”
The unified program’s first production, “When This Is Over” by Ned Glasier and Company Three, is a collaborative play developed in the United Kingdom after the pandemic: young people tell their stories and share pivotal life moments. Rather than following a traditional script, the play unfolds as students share their personal narratives, creating a unique and evolving story.
Pascack Hills senior Rily Alexander, a storyteller in “When This Is Over,” describes the experience: “The space we have created in the past couple months is unlike any other I have had the privilege of experiencing.”
Abby DiSalvo, a Pascack Valley senior and the production’s stage manager, adds, “This fall is going very well, and we are so excited about what’s to come.”
The future is bright for Pascack Theatre, with the Pascack Hills campus set to host the combined program while Pascack Valley’s auditorium undergoes renovation during the 2025–26 school year.
“When This Is Over” will be performed at Pascack Valley High School, 200 Piermont Ave., Hillsdale, Nov. 21–23 at 7 p.m., with a matinee on Saturday, Nov. 23, at 2 p.m. A free senior citizen matinee is set for Tuesday, Nov. 19 at 10 a.m., with complimentary coffee and pastries available in the lobby starting at 9:30. Tickets and more information are available at pascacktheatre.org.
And save the date for the spring musical, “Legally Blonde,” a lively adaptation of the Broadway hit, March 14–22, 2025.
Local businesses and community members are invited to support the theater program by purchasing advertisements in the playbill or joining the program’s sponsorship initiative. Sponsorship opportunities include becoming a Director’s Circle Sponsor, which helps fund productions and student activities. Information about sponsorships is available on the Pascack Theatre website.
Pascack Theatre welcomes students from both Pascack Valley and Pascack Hills high schools to join the program, whether as cast members, crew, or behind-the-scenes contributors. The fall play rehearses after school from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, with Wednesday evening rehearsals from 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday rehearsals are also held closer to the performance date. Participation requires a production fee to cover the cost of items such as cast T-shirts and meals during production week.
Auditions for the fall play and spring musical are open to all interested students, regardless of experience.
— Via Stephanie Buckley