This is probably the longest it has taken me to choose a play/musical! I knew I wanted to do a comedy but nothing seemed to be the right fit. I read over 20 plays and finally landed on Play On! for its unique take on what it feels like when everything is up in the air before a performance and the comic timing that was needed to pull this off! With each play selection, I try to find something that challenges the students in a new way. This show was definitely, no exception! When people ask what the play is about I describe it like this-think of it as a mash-up of Clue, The Play That Goes Wrong and Noises Off with a hint of what it's like behind the scenes of a rehearsal! Thankfully none of our rehearsals went quite this way when preparing for opening night! If you are a theatre lover, you'll get the jokes...if you aren't...maybe you will be after this performance.
The cast and crew have done an exceptional job of bringing this story to life. I'm always amazed at how a high school student can transform themselves into the adults that they are portraying. They are no longer fourteen but forty...not seventeen but thirty-seven. It's such a cool way to observe how others not of your own generation, respond to and see things. I hope you'll see in this cast and crew what I do... an abundance of talent, determination, and dedication. They are a pretty awesome group!
Special thanks:
Aiko-Thank you for always coming up with the most creative ideas on how to put a vision from paper to the stage. What ends up on stage is always better than anything that I could ever imagine. I am grateful that you are still willing to put in the time and effort to create and apply your skills! We'd be lost without you!
Ray- Thank you for always saying yes to my many asks during show time...even when you probably want to say no. Your support is the only reason I'm able to do what I love and I can't truly put into words how that makes me feel.
Mom- Thanks for spreading the word about the play...reaching out to people who might have items that I needed and making sure I'm fed on Wednesday nights. I'll never not need you.
Pattie and Terry Langpaap and Scott and Paulette Cooper- Thank you for having just what I needed when it came to furniture for the set! I appreciate your willingness to trust us with your things. We will take good care of them!
Talk of The Town Boosters- I want to thank our boosters who work so hard to make sure that many of the needs we have are taken care of. They come to shows, parent nights, Back to School events, and Freshman Orientation spreading the word about the organization. They are a group that raises money for our students and gives out amazing scholarships and so much more! We are always happy to have new people join the boosters, so if you are interested, please talk to one of our board members during intermission or after the show. We'd love to have you as a part of the team!
Cast and Crew- Finally, I want to thank the cast and crew for their hard work and dedication to all things theatre! Most of these students are in my classes, so I see them daily. This month they have had full days at school, worked on ideas during Bulldog Boost for our next adventure, the Haunted House, attended 3 hours of rehearsals each day after school, spent long hours building pieces to put on our Homecoming float and are fundraising for a trip to NYC this summer! They do it all...and if I asked them for their help on something tomorrow...I know I would still be able to count on them.
Thank you for supporting live theatre! Enjoy the show!
-V
