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Annual show helps school deal with 3 tragic deaths
Friday, March 22, 2002

By JOHN A. GAVIN
Staff Writer

HACKENSACK - This time last year, Chelsea Siegel was
an usher escorting people to their seats in the
Hackensack High School auditorium at the school's
spring musical.

Siegel, 16, seemed content with behind-the-scenes
roles while more extroverted teens took the stage.

In June, Siegel committed suicide.

Her death and the fatal shootings last March of Ryan
Travis and Najee Brown, both of whom also had attended
the school, left many students disheartened and numb.

That mood and attitude has also set the tone for the
drama department's presentation this year.

In previous years, the school has featured more
light-hearted productions such as "Grease."

But this year's production of The Who's "Tommy," a
musical with a more solemn and emotional story line,
reflects some of the pain the school has endured.

Written by Pete Townshend, lead guitarist and
songwriter for the legendary rock group, the musical
depicts a youth traumatized by witnessing a killing in
his home early in life who bottles up his emotions,
falling into depression, seclusion, and loneliness.

"After everything that's happened and after September
11, we felt this kind of musical was appropriate,"
said Chris Ryan, a drama teacher and the musical's
director. "When you look at the real message of this
musical, it's really about enjoying life and enjoying
the community. ... It's all about overcoming
isolation. Those are some of the pressures kids are
under today."

No one knows what pressures prompted Siegel to kill
herself, but her reaction to her problems was not
unlike the way out that many of her peers have chosen.

Suicide is the second-leading cause of death among
youths 15 to 24, according to the National Mental
Health Association.

Official accounts of her death are sketchy and
Hackensack authorities said the incident didn't happen
in the city and that they were not involved in the
investigation.

The only account of her death is a four-line newspaper
death notice.

Writing became 'dark'

Students who knew her recall a newcomer who had moved
to Hackensack with her father from upstate New York
only six months before she died.

They also remember a girl who usually kept to herself.

"I would see her write in a journal every day," said
Christine Marini, 16, a junior, who took a history
class with Siegel. "She would even write when we were
supposed to be paying attention."

Ryan, who taught Siegel in creative writing and drama,
said he began to see a different personality.

"Her writing began to get darker," said Ryan, who
started to take note of her good work handling the
spotlights during a fall stage revue.

Her death and the fatal shootings of Travis and Brown,
which happened a few blocks away from the school and
got much more publicity, left school officials
scrambling to cope with student grief and emotion.

The school created a drop-in center and made a special
team of nurses, guidance counselors, and school
psychologists available to the students, said the
school's principal, Joseph DeFalco.

But several students said three deaths within the span
of a year have been hard to deal with.

"For me, it was sort of like a dream. It didn't seem
real," said Marsha Charles, 15, who had two classes
with Siegel and lived two blocks from her.

As a unit, the 60-member drama department - cast
members, stage crew, ushers, and advisers - decided to
confront their grief by relaying a positive message
about trauma and personal tragedy.

In the musical, which omits sensitive and offensive
portions that were part of the Broadway hit, the lead
character, Tommy, emerges as an unwilling hero, a
pinball wizard who exceeds everyone's expectation - in
spite of being deaf, dumb, and blind.

"Tommy is not larger than life," said Caseen Gaines,
16, a junior, who plays the adult role of Tommy. "He
can be anyone in the audience."

The musical is being shown tonight, Saturday and
Sunday at 8 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m.

Copyright ) 2002 North Jersey Media Group Inc.


=====
-Brian in Atlanta
The Who This Month!
http://www.thewhothismonth.com
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