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Kettle Run set to open first show
Although theater teacher Jeanne Dillon calls it an experimental class project, Kettle Run High School's upcoming presentation of "The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet" is a full-blown production.
The performances will be in the new high school auditorium on Friday, Jan. 30, Saturday, Jan. 31 and Sunday, Feb. 1.
"If you are looking for the classical version, this is not it," said Dillon, stressing the simple and modern interpretation of this play.
Her class has taken on the various acting and production roles required for the student-run play. Dillon acknowledged her students' different strengths, "They chose what they wanted to do. I have 27 kids and more than half of them didn't act."
It was, however, important that all of the students closely analyze the play, according to Dillon. After intensive study with the students, she said, "they really understand the language of Shakespeare. The important thing is that they understand it and believe it."
Because Shakespeare can be hard to comprehend, Dillon and the class decided they wanted to do a modern version, cutting the script and simplifying the language.
Alex Contreras, a junior, said, "Shakespeare isn't the easiest thing to talk and understand; a lot was pronounced differently in Olde English. I've learned a lot."
Contreras will be playing Juliet for two of the three performances. For the Sunday matinée, Juliet will be played by Marion Silas, a freshman. She said not only has she learned a lot about the language, but from watching Contreras rehearse the same part. Silas said, "We both see it differently.
"I learn a lot watching other actors in the way they perform."
To assure that the actors understand their lines, Colin Shea-Blymyer, a sophomore, is the literary director for the play. "I clarify what the lines mean because some of the Olde English is hard to decipher."
Freshman Emily Brown didn't find it hard to learn the lines, but she has found her character, Lady Capulet, difficult. "It's really hard. I'm usually not that mean," she said.
But there is more to putting on a play than working with the script. Contreras said, "There's a lot of work involved. Everyone really plays a big part, not just actors, but as a team."
Since this was a class project, students were responsible for the set design, sound, props, stage and house management, advertising and publicity.
The modern version of the play meant foregoing period costumes and elaborate sets.
Finding costumes was the responsibility of each actor, with one caveat: color. Black and white costumes were designated for secondary characters and red for Romeo and Juliet.
While most worked on building the sets, a couple of students were responsible for the sound design. In addition to searching for sound effects, they chose contemporary music, based on love themes.
All of these activities come together for the production and one of the organizers is stage manager Maddie Houck. Known by her friends for her organizational skills, the freshman is enjoying her leadership role.
"I have to be the organizational expert of everything. I run rehearsals and help with blocking and cuts. I'm always on book to help with the actors' lines,” Houck said.
"I like being at all the rehearsals and knowing what's going on. I've never done this before and I really like it."
All of this hard work cannot go unnoticed and that's where the publicity committee stepped into the work.
Katie Kruse and her co-workers, Paige Scheiber and Nathalie McCann, worked together like a professional team, contacting the media and putting together an impressive 18-page playbill, fliers and banners.
The whole class was responsible for selling ads for the playbill as part of a school fund-raiser. These proceeds, along with ticket sales, will be used to support the school's spring production of "Grease."
As Silas discussed the class project, she said, "It takes a lot to put on a play."
Sounds like a good lesson, even if it is an experiment.
E-mail the reporter: mailto:afelts@timespapers.com..
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