harbinger SHAWNEE MISSION EAST
What’s Inside
ISSUE 5, NOV. 3, 2003
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Midseason sports New DVD releases Behind the scenes on “The Adding Machine”
As the fall play approaches, actors get ready to
take center
photo by Jessie Fetterling
STAGE
PENCIL PUSHER: Mr. Zero (senior Charlie Thurston) pokes adding machine buttons with a giant pencil during rehearsal. Oversized props like the pencil are common in The Adding Machine.
Cynthia Goldman A boy spits out tongue twisters amidst a whirl of actors. The rhymes serve as stress relief and practice of what is to come. Another boy leaps up and down in anxiety. One girl sits alone concentrating on her monologue seemingly calm. The three students have one thing in common: they’ve been waiting for a shot in this season’s school play, “The Adding Machine.” Written by Elmer Rice, the play will be showing November 6, 7, and 8. These students await only the first obstacle in creating the finished product- the fall play. “Oh my gosh! I thought I was going to cry! But it was dark so that helped me! But I was so nervous!” exclaims a flushed freshman bustling out of the auditorium to join her friends. Taking place in an enormous, chilly auditorium, auditions tend to be the most nerve-racking experience for the actors. The room is completely dark except for a row of bright lights beaming down profusely on a single solitary stool in the center of the stage. Three teachers- Brian Cappello, Tom DeFeo and Janet White- sit in the back seats waiting to judge the next try-out. It’s “make or break” for the serious thespians and this
is only the beginning. “It’s such a relief to not try-out this year. It’s so intense,” senior Ellen Vessels said. Vessels is the student director for “The Adding Machine.” In the past, she’s been a props crew chief for “Gypsy” and “Little Shop of Horrors.” She is currently president of the Thespian Troop. “I’m so excited for this show! It’s my first time directing!“ Vessels is suddenly interrupted from her director duties by an exuberant freshman Abby Bavley. “[Cappello] told me to stay around for callbacks!” “That’s great!” “Do you think I got a part?” “Maybe. We’ll find out for sure tomorrow.” The next day, first time thespian Bavley finds out she got the part of one of the three Joes, described by another Joe, senior Cassie Creek, as “demon slaves to the Devil.” Almost two months later, Creek and sophomore Jonathan Lerner sit backstage waiting for their cue during one of the many rehearsals the drama department has had for the performance. “The show’s about a guy named Mr. Zero who hates his nagging wife (Claire Wyatt) and
his boss (Ed Fogel),” Lerner explains, “To make a long story short, there’s some murder involved and Mr. Zero ends up in hell.” Both Creek and Lerner describe the show as “expressionistic.” “It’s a one person view of reality,” drama teacher Capello said, “Elmer Rice is commenting on society and the world ethic to a view of humanity getting stuck in ruts. His portrayal of that is with all very startling, disturbing images. He has no attempt to keep in reality. He keeps to his views.” With such an abstract and difficult tone, “Adding Machine” ends up being a challenge for teenage students. “Capello tells us that high schools simply don’t even attempt to do this show because it’s too hard,” Lerner said, “I mean Capello isn’t an idiot. He wouldn’t have us do it if we couldn’t.” Lerner excuses himself and quickly assembles with the rest of the actors in the following scene. Lerner plays Mr. Three, one of the many friends of the Zeros, all with names like Mrs. Four and Mr. Six. They enter the stage robotically, lowering
and raising arms in a complete synchronized fashion. But precision and unusual subject content aren’t the only struggles. Straying away from students’ own personalities proves to be a difficult task as well. “It’s definitely the hardest part I’ve ever had,” junior Lauren Berman said of her part as Judy O’Grady. “First of all, I play a prostitute, which obviously I’m not in real life. And I’m also a [comedian in the play]. I’ve always told myself that I’m not a [comedian]. So I’ve put a lot of time out of rehearsal and practiced in my room many times.” Even with run-throughs of the play almost everyday, the drama team claims they still haven’t reached perfection. More long hours await. “I’m going to run backstage and grab some food. I’m going to be here until really late!” Bavley cries overwhelmed by the long day’s rehearsal, “If I don’t eat, I’m gonna die!” Junior techie and actress Katelyn Stroud who is accustomed to a play workload after three years, smiles knowingly, “Welcome to Main Stage!”