Need a laugh from the strenuous workload of school? Well, fret not. The fall play, “The Man Who Came to Dinner,” is just around the corner in November. This comedic spoof is sure to have you tumbling on the floor with laughter.
Involving a variety of different characters, “The Man Who Came to Dinner” revolves around a famous radio host, Sheridan Whiteside. He visits the family of a wealthy factory owner as a publicity stunt, but slips on a piece of ice in front of the house. Injuring his hip, he is forced to stay with the family to recover. Whiteside then basically takes over the family as chaotic shenanigans pop up left and right.
“I think the play is going to be very dynamic. It’s important for me that the students get as many performing opportunities as possible, so I chose a play that has about 26 roles. Instead of double casting, we’re giving students two performances each,” the director of the play and the new drama teacher, Beatrice Casagran, explained.
Casagran also paired different people together to observe the chemistry between the various roles. Fall plays in the past have primarily been for Advanced and Intermediate Drama students, but though most of the acting cast is students from Advanced Drama this year, there are also some actors and actresses from the Beginning Drama class.
Since Casagran runs her own theater company outside of school with her husband and daughter, she tried to bring in her own experiences to the high school stage and train the students in preparation for their future theater industry careers.
“Through the audition process, I wanted to model out what students would actually go through if they went to audition for a company or community theater. I wanted to allow the students the opportunity to train and practice auditioning for the future. That way they can be prepared for college or job interviews in the near future,” Casagran explained.
Rehearsing since September, the cast practices every week for four or five days from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Responsible for their own duties, students have their designated jobs such as costume designer or make-up artist.
“Mrs.Casagran is a wonderful mentor, director, and great person. Drama has always been united like a big family and Mrs.Casagran is no exception. We’re all fast friends already; plus, Mrs.Casagran watches ‘Breaking Bad,’” senior Elven Tsao, Public Relations Chair of Thespians, commented.
Tickets are sold for $10 during lunch in front of the theater. The play will show on Nov. 7, 9, 15, 16.
