Mountain Lakes High School will once again be able to witness the genius and power of our theater department this year. In about three weeks, the Fall Drama is set to be performed in the hallway near the lobby, as the auditorium renovations continue through the fall. With the five performance dates approaching, however, the production will be a little different this year than most: three individual theatrical works will be performed for the Fall Drama. The company will perform PeterWendy, Antigone Now, and Paper or Plastic, each with its own distinctive thematic elements and captivating characters. The series of productions can be compared to a full course meal—an appetizer, main course, and dessert. The performances’ variety of themes, ideas, and characters are sure to entertain audiences.
Peter/Wendy
The truly immortal tale of Peter Pan, a story which anyone from any living generation can recognize, has been told and retold many times since its original conception in the early 20th century. Originally by Scottish novelist & playwright J.M. Barry, the story became popular when he first published it in stage play form in 1904, and gained more attention when he released a Peter Pan novel in 1911. In 1953, Walt Disney Studios animated the first feature length Peter Pan film, bringing the characters to life while omitting certain elements of the original story. Peter/Wendy, the version that the theater department will be performing, is an adaptation by Jeremy Bloom. Rather than steering clear of darker themes that Barry toyed with in the original, Bloom delves deep into characters’ emotions and not-so-innocent thoughts and motives. The addition of minor notes to the classically lighthearted tale of a Lost Boy highlights the malleability of the story and the myriad of ways in which it can be interpreted.
Leads: James Purcell (Peter) and Ava Capetta (Wendy)
Antigone Now
We could not bear to have a Festival of One Acts without including a bit of Greek Theatre. However, Antigone Now, based on Sophocles’ Antigone, puts a modern twist on the original play from over 2,000 years ago. Set in the current era, the play follows a dark and disastrous plot line with intense characters and uniquely Greek theatrical elements, such as the inclusion of a chorus character.
Leads: Jamie Barnett (Antigone), Kayla Giordano (Ismene), and Eric Lee (Creon)
Paper or Plastic
A little humor is one of the essential elements of our Festival of One Acts. You’ll find that in Paper or Plastic, a satirical farce written by Werner Treischman in 2007. The new employee at Puritan Foods, Sarah, makes her way through her first day. She encounters a lousy manager, strange co-workers, hippies, aliens, divas, metal drummers, and all those in between.
Leads: Cassandra Covart (Sarah) and Conrad Lewis (Carl)
The Festival of One Acts will premiere on November 17th with PeterWendy at 7:30 PM, Paper or Plastic? on November 18th at 7:30 PM, Antigone Now on November 19th at 7:30 PM, and the entire Festival of One Acts on November 20th at 2:00 PM and 7:30 PM.
As senior cast member Jamie Barnett articulates, “It’s the best-ival festival!”
0
0
Average Rating