Good morning, Hopkinton! Welcome to the daily update we call Hopkinton Today — a quick recap of yesterday’s news, highlights of what’s on tap, and a photo of the day.

HHS students lead choreography, set design for ‘Chicago’ production

The full cast of the Hopkinton High School Drama Ensemble run through the number “Razzle Dazzle” from the musical “Chicago” during a rehearsal at HHS on Tuesday. PHOTO/KARA SULLIVAN

The Hopkinton High School Drama Ensemble is stepping back to the 1920s with its performance of the teen edition of the musical “Chicago,” which opens next week.

Drama teacher Kara Sullivan said her students have been working since early September to put the show together. Rehearsals are four times a week, and the group completed its first costumed rehearsal Tuesday.

“All the pieces are finally coming together,” she said.

The show opens on Nov. 19 and runs through Nov. 22 at the Hopkinton High School auditorium. Tickets can be purchased online or with cash at the door.

Sullivan explained that “Chicago” was “not on her radar” for HHS until she took students to see a production of the musical at the Hanover Theater in Worcester last year. She said the kids loved the show, and when she was looking for a production this fall that could accommodate her students, “Chicago” emerged as an option.

“When it came down to it, I really was just looking for a show that had a lot of female roles,” Sullivan said, noting that most of the students in the ensemble are girls.

One of the biggest challenges with the production, Sullivan noted, is the fact the show is “dance-heavy.” To overcome this, she said the ensemble has two student choreographers helping to implement “simple yet very effective” dance moves.

“Everybody has been able to adopt the moves … so that it looks natural, even to a non-dancer,” said Sullivan. “It’s taken a lot of work, but they’ve come out to play [and] they’ve done a good job.”

Other challenges include matching the fashion and design style of the 1920s, which Sullivan said has been a learning process. She credited her students for being resourceful with costumes and sets.

“They really put their heads together and did their research,” she said.

— NICK SCHOFIELD

Latest News

The Select Board will move forward with choosing a new police chief next week after narrowing the search to two finalists Tuesday.

After hearing from principal assessor John Neas, the Select Board on Tuesday voted to maintain a single tax rate for residential and commercial/industrial properties.

The Parks & Recreation Commission on Tuesday shifted its plans for the Pyne Field project, opting to focus on refurbishments to the existing baseball field in order to reduce costs.

This week’s Police Log features one arrest, along with reports of a boulder in a roadway, a blocked walking trail and a domestic incident outside a pediatric office.

The Hopkinton High School girls soccer team fell in the Division 1 Round of 16 on Wednesday evening, dropping a 3-0 decision to host Wellesley.

The latest Arts Residency highlights seventh grader Viktoria Khasanova, a self-taught artist who enjoys digital character design and fantasy art.

Town meetings tonight include the Community Preservation Committee (7).

Photo of the Day

Veterans Celebration Committee chair and American Legion Post 202 commander Mike Whalen (center) looks on with other veterans as Hopkinton Historical Society president Anne Mattina (left) prepares to deliver remarks about the town’s military history during the annual Veterans Day ceremony at the Hopkinton Senior Center on Wednesday.

PHOTO/NICK SCHOFIELD