Theater Package

Setting the Stage A Special Performance Pull-Out Section

SCAVENGER HUNT Theater program bonds thespians new and old through annual scavenger hunt all over the city

2

MUSICAL TRYOUTS Through the eyes of four students who tried out for different roles in this year’s musical ‘Beauty and the Beast’

4-5

THEATER EXPERIENCE Harbinger staff member Zoe Brian writes about her lifelong experiences with plays and musicals

6

EAST PLAY REVIEW ‘Machinal’ delivers a unique high school performance filled with dark undertones

7

02 THEATER

“X” marks the

S POT

annual scavenger hunt theatre students go on eilly to bond more ErinR through out Kansas CIty

F

ive teenage kids dressed in all-black ninja outfits run through the Plaza yelling “NO! The naked mermaid is this way!”

Finally spotting the elusive fountain, the group bunches in front of it, posing for the camera.

Emily Donovan hoped that this year’s Theatre Scavenger Hunt, on Nov. 20, would leave impacting memories with freshman and theatre newcomers as her hunt did.

“My favorite part is the frenzy,” Donovan said. “There’s so much energy and running; I’m pretty sure I could have joined cross country afterwards!”

Every year, thespians gather to partake in the scavenger hunt, following clues all the way to the Plaza, Westport, Town Center Plaza and Prairie Village. About 65 students divided into 13 groups, the highest number of participants ever according to Donovan, competed for glory in categories

such as most points, most spirited and best dressed.

Participants dressed as everything from cavemen to cowboys joined together for the themed “Hunt Throughout the Ages.” The hunt list this year included many strange requests from getting tattoos to sipping tea in Westport. However, this didn’t deter any theatre students from pursuing these clues like they were a spot in this year’s limited musical cast.

stop #2: stop #1: Westport Plaza Pull a Ke$ha in a dumpster.

(3 pts.)

Like the outrageously “fashion-forward” Ke$ha, the different groups also dressed to turn heads. With the “Middle Ages” group consisting of a fully robed wizard, a dragon and a potato sack-wearing

peasant, the “Soul Train” group fluffing ridiculously huge afros, and even a Britney impersonator from the “Bubble Gum Pop” group, the competition for Best Dressed was intense.

“We don’t kid around with our costumes,” Donovan said.

Find a pair of Chinamen (2 pts.)

The Stone Age group was confused by this clue for the Plaza. So, like any welltrained thespian, they improvised.

“You see, there are these two statues of Chinese soldiers on the edge of the Plaza,” said Donovan. “Apparently, they weren’t aware of any such thing and photographed themselves with some unsuspecting Asian tourists. Needless to say, we gave them full points.”

stop #3: Town Center

stop #4: Prairie Village

The Average Viewer

Why do you like attending East plays and musicals?

It’s a really fun group. You meet a lot of new and interesting people.

What’s your favoite play you’ve ever seen at East? Why? Machinal was a really cool experience, the play itself. It Devery North was a really unique experience.

WHAT GOES INTO A

PRODUCTION?

The first day of auditions is vocal auditions: Each student must choose 16 bars of a song and provide sheet music for the accompanist

For a photo gallery of past theatre productions and recordings of all of this year’s Frequent Fridays, visit www.smeharbinger.net

Second day is dance audition: Students go in groups of 10-20 and are shown dance steps then run through the dance

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05 THEATER

04 THEATER

CASTING CONCERNS A look inside of the audition process for this fall’s musical, ‘Beauty and the Beast’

EMMA MARSTON, 12

Before Senior Emma Marston had never considered not trying out for the musical. After all, this was her ninth production through East, and she was already a certified thespian.

Before The Musical Revue in October, she already knew she wanted to sing “No One is Alone” from the musical “Into the Wild” for her audition.

Marston really enjoyed the role of Mrs. Potts in “Beauty and the Beast.” The kind, motherly figure. Marston liked to think of herself as the motherly figure when it came to productions.

Before Junior Abby McNitt sits on the choir room hallways steps, reading the mandatory play audition questionnaire.

What can you specifically bring to the cast?

She thought of Jasmine and the Queen of Hearts: two Disney-based characters she had portrayed in other shows.

Seven years of voice lessons. Rehearsals for another production every night this week. Experience. But in the end, McNitt wrote about her ability to endure the time-consuming needs of the play.

“I don’t think I’ll have trouble making rehearsals,” McNitt said. “The play always comes first.”

Her thoughts scattered as student director Devery North approached.

“Abby, you’re next,” North told her.

McNitt felt herself begin to breathe heavily. She struggled to recollect her thoughts. Why was she nervous? She had prepared her piece for two weeks; she knew “How Could I Ever Know” like she knew her own birthday. Earlier that day, like she had the night before, McNitt had watched “Beauty and the Beast” as she scooped honey into her mouth.

“It helps relax the throat,” McNitt explained. “Well, I think it does. Maybe it’s all in my head, but it still helps.”

But the comfort of honey had worn off. As McNitt posed for a photo, her smile did not reflect her mood.

“At least I wasn’t shaking,” McNitt said, “but still.”

“I like being a mama,” Marston said. “I like nurturing and being a leader.”

She wants to encourage the underclassmen to do theater, and to be confident about it. Marston learns a lot from the underclassmen, and she feels confident leaving the theater program behind to them.

Going into auditions, Marston had a positive attitude. She just wanted hoped for the best.

During Marston sets her Best Choice strawberry-flavored water next to her, put in her headphones, listenes to “For Emma”

by Bon Iver, trying to get focused.

It was yet another audition for Marston, but the nerves were still there. She wanted to show them how hard she worked to get to this point in her musical career. How hard she will work if she gets cast in this musical.

Finally, it was her turn. Walking into the room, the nerves started to disappear.

Choir teacher Mr. Foley, drama teacher Mr. Cappello, and technical director Mr. DeFeo sat in front of her like a panel of judges, but not as intimidating.

“Eww!” Cappello joked as Marston walked in.

Singing auditions went by in a flash. It was as if she hadn’t even been there, but she felt confident and was ready for dance auditions the next day. The audition dance was to “Be Our Guest” from Beauty and the Beast, which got Marston even more excited for as the show approached. After the audition, all she could do was hope that everything went well.

Many auditions had ended, as some kids didn’t get called back, but not for Marston. Callbacks had been posted the next day and her name had made the list. Filing into the room, Marston and the other students prepared for auditions. While some sang traditional warm ups such as ‘Do, Re, Mi’ Marston and a few others belted out “Don’t Stop Believing” by Journey to get prepared.

It was a fun, relaxed environment that Marston was happy to be a part of.

After All through the Frequent Friday, Marston couldn’t stop fidgeting. It was only a matter of minutes before she would know whether or not she would be spending the next four months onstage. Finally, the list was posted and a sea of emotions filled the hallway. Slowly walking up the list, Marston scanned the names for hers, which she eventually found.

Tracing it over to Mrs. Potts, she tried to contain her excitement.

“I’m absolutely over the moon, I’m so excited.” Marston said.

ABBY MCNITT, 11

North again confronted McNitt. This time it wasn’t a warning.

“You’re up.”

During Everything was a blur. Move through the doors, one of them with a “Break a Leg” sign attached to it. Greet the four judges. One thought: don’t look at them.

Sing. Back out the door. Done.

Two weeks of preparation, and the audition flew by faster than summer break.

How’d I do? I missed a breath, didn’t take a big enough one at this one spot, but other than that it was OK, I guess. I just want whatever role is best for me and the play. Just glad it’s over!

But it wasn’t over. The next two days featured dance auditions and callbacks.

Like the singing audition, they both flew by in a rapacious sprint.

“I wasn’t too nervous during either of those,” McNitt said. “You’re with a group then, and it’s fun to see your friends sing solos.”

Then the sprint screeched to a lagging crawl. Nervousness and anxiety quickly replaced comfort and confidence.

After Despite her efforts, McNitt’s thoughts were not com-

prised of Jacksonian Democracy and Van Buren during seventh hour AHAP; instead, she thought of 3 p.m. That’s when the cast list would be posted.

After school, McNitt along with other choir members approached the list. Then, she saw it.

With the laughs and hugs that followed came feelings of relief and excitement. She would be a chorus member, and that’s just what she wanted.

“Whatever is best-suited for me.”

The Choir Director

Most interesting song that was performed in auditions?

Some songs from Green Day’s “American Idiot.”

What is your favorite role in the musical?

Gaston. He is a larger than life character who you don’t like, Ken Foley but can’t help but enjoy.

Third day is callbacks: Posted in the morning, basically where the acting skills are tested, certain students are called back and read different parts from the script in order to see what role you may be better in.

IanWiseman CarolineCreidenberg

ALEC ARMER, 9

Before As he awaited his audition, freshman Alec Armer reviewed what had led him to this place. He recalled Footloose: the energy, the excitement, the greatness of the whole production. He also looked forward to the enhanced focus of this year’s smaller cast. Armer had always wanted to be part of an East musical, and this was his first chance.

But this was far from his first chance at being cast in

Before “Mic check, mic check.”

“Close the left curtains.”

“Stage left enter now.”

“QUIET.” Direction and organization filled sophomore Olivia Rogers head. It was eighth grade and she was stage left manager. The curtain, the people, the show. She watched the show. But only from stage left.

That was the only theater experience Rogers had ever had, until this year when she heard East was doing her favorite musical — “Beauty and the Beast” — so she decided to audition. Rogers just wanted to audition for fun, for the heck of it.

Rogers wasn’t expecting to make it, and she just wanted to be in the chorus if anything. She attended a few voice lessons in preparation for the audition. Her vocal coach helped her prepare her audition piece “I Whistle a Happy Tune” from the King and I. The second part of audition was dancing. Olivia had experience with dancing and was confident with her dance. She had taken multiple dance classes growing up, and she enjoyed dancing. After two weeks of voice lessons and years of wanting to be in “Beauty and the Beast,” Rogers was ready for her audition.

During Walking into the choir room, nerves were no where

a musical.

Band and orchestra in grade school, “High School Musical” and “Cinderella” the past two summers in Theater in the Park, weekly voice lessons—Armer “loves theater.”

“Plays usually have one theme, either a total comedy or major drama,” Armer said. “But musicals can be as dramatic as possible and still have comedic characters.”

During What can you specifically bring to the cast?

Armer regarded the audition form.

“I was kind of a suck up. I wrote that I have a good work ethic and know when to be serious,” Armer said. “I should have wrote that I can eat a whole large Pizza Hut pizza.”

Then, five minutes before his time, Armer’s nerves “crept up and blasted” him. He began running around, jumping in place, bouncing off walls. Anything to force out the energy—that’s what’ll calm the nerves. Especially with the knowledge that he’d spent only an hour preparing his audition piece.

“Half-hour voice lessons every week, and I worked on

to be found. Rogers just wasn’t nervous, she was ready. Coming straight from a voice lesson, Rogers hummed the tune in her head trying to keep her voice warmed up.

She entered, sang, and left. It was as easy as 1, 2, 3. It wasn’t the biggest deal in the world for Rogers and she was just happy with her audition.

The next day were dance auditions, the area where Rogers was experienced and confident. She entered the dance room not knowing what to expect. What she thought was going to be easier than singing auditions turned out harder.

“The dance was more complex than I thought it was going to be.”

Nevertheless, Rogers used her past dance experience and stayed after to show her leaps and turns. Leaving she felt indifferent, it didn’t go great, but it could have gone worse.

She went home and didn’t think too much about the musical. She was happy to be done with auditions, now all she could do was wait.

After She scanned the computer for her name. Nothing.

it for about five minutes during each one,” Armer said. “I was nervous.”

And yet Armer felt his audition went smoothly.

“No voice cracks,” Armer said.

After Armer stared in disbelief at the callback list. His last name was printed on the list, only it wasn’t him.

He approached Mr. Cappello.

It’s a mistake, right? Tell me it’s a mistake.

Nope.

“Three options ran through my mind,” Armer said.

“One, they had the wrong twin. Second, they only wanted my brother Justin because we’re both so similar.

Third, I sucked and they hated me.”

Then another thought: he was already pegged down for a role.

The next day, Armer learned that this latter hunch was true. He was to be silverware, and he, along with his brother, was one of only six freshmen to earn a spot.

“When I saw my name on the cast list, I had mixed feelings. I was unhappy and shocked that certain people didn’t make it,” Armer said. “But it was still a good moment.”

OLIVIA ROGERS, 10

“I guess I was a little disappointed, I just really wanted to be a part of ‘Beauty and the Beast.”

Rogers had friends over that night, fellow friends who had tried out and not made it. She was consoling them, bringing their spirit back up along with her own.

This wasn’t going to be the end of her theater career though. Rogers has already signed up to a part of House Crew, where she will make posters and decorate the auditorium for the show. It is her favorite musical, so she wants to stay involved.

The Theater Head

What was the hardest thing about picking the cast?

There were so many incredible people who tried out, it was almost ugly to have to cut.

What do you expect the audience to like the most?

It’s fun. It’s shiny. It’s colorful. It’s big. It’s a musical.

Fourth day: Cast and Crew Chiefs are posted after the Frequent Friday

First read through and measurements taken by costumes crew.

First workday: From 3-5 basically a rehearsal for the cast and time for the crew to get started on planning

Every Saturday from there on is a workday from 9-3 which is more for crew than cast. Cast does not have to be there but most of crew does. Each crew works on things they need to get done

Brian Cappello

05 THEATER

04 THEATER

CASTING CONCERNS A look inside of the audition process for this fall’s musical, ‘Beauty and the Beast’

EMMA MARSTON, 12

Before Senior Emma Marston had never considered not trying out for the musical. After all, this was her ninth production through East, and she was already a certified thespian.

Before The Musical Revue in October, she already knew she wanted to sing “No One is Alone” from the musical “Into the Wild” for her audition.

Marston really enjoyed the role of Mrs. Potts in “Beauty and the Beast.” The kind, motherly figure. Marston liked to think of herself as the motherly figure when it came to productions.

Before Junior Abby McNitt sits on the choir room hallways steps, reading the mandatory play audition questionnaire.

What can you specifically bring to the cast?

She thought of Jasmine and the Queen of Hearts: two Disney-based characters she had portrayed in other shows.

Seven years of voice lessons. Rehearsals for another production every night this week. Experience. But in the end, McNitt wrote about her ability to endure the time-consuming needs of the play.

“I don’t think I’ll have trouble making rehearsals,” McNitt said. “The play always comes first.”

Her thoughts scattered as student director Devery North approached.

“Abby, you’re next,” North told her.

McNitt felt herself begin to breathe heavily. She struggled to recollect her thoughts. Why was she nervous? She had prepared her piece for two weeks; she knew “How Could I Ever Know” like she knew her own birthday. Earlier that day, like she had the night before, McNitt had watched “Beauty and the Beast” as she scooped honey into her mouth.

“It helps relax the throat,” McNitt explained. “Well, I think it does. Maybe it’s all in my head, but it still helps.”

But the comfort of honey had worn off. As McNitt posed for a photo, her smile did not reflect her mood.

“At least I wasn’t shaking,” McNitt said, “but still.”

“I like being a mama,” Marston said. “I like nurturing and being a leader.”

She wants to encourage the underclassmen to do theater, and to be confident about it. Marston learns a lot from the underclassmen, and she feels confident leaving the theater program behind to them.

Going into auditions, Marston had a positive attitude. She just wanted hoped for the best.

During Marston sets her Best Choice strawberry-flavored water next to her, put in her headphones, listenes to “For Emma”

by Bon Iver, trying to get focused.

It was yet another audition for Marston, but the nerves were still there. She wanted to show them how hard she worked to get to this point in her musical career. How hard she will work if she gets cast in this musical.

Finally, it was her turn. Walking into the room, the nerves started to disappear.

Choir teacher Mr. Foley, drama teacher Mr. Cappello, and technical director Mr. DeFeo sat in front of her like a panel of judges, but not as intimidating.

“Eww!” Cappello joked as Marston walked in.

Singing auditions went by in a flash. It was as if she hadn’t even been there, but she felt confident and was ready for dance auditions the next day. The audition dance was to “Be Our Guest” from Beauty and the Beast, which got Marston even more excited for as the show approached. After the audition, all she could do was hope that everything went well.

Many auditions had ended, as some kids didn’t get called back, but not for Marston. Callbacks had been posted the next day and her name had made the list. Filing into the room, Marston and the other students prepared for auditions. While some sang traditional warm ups such as ‘Do, Re, Mi’ Marston and a few others belted out “Don’t Stop Believing” by Journey to get prepared.

It was a fun, relaxed environment that Marston was happy to be a part of.

After All through the Frequent Friday, Marston couldn’t stop fidgeting. It was only a matter of minutes before she would know whether or not she would be spending the next four months onstage. Finally, the list was posted and a sea of emotions filled the hallway. Slowly walking up the list, Marston scanned the names for hers, which she eventually found.

Tracing it over to Mrs. Potts, she tried to contain her excitement.

“I’m absolutely over the moon, I’m so excited.” Marston said.

ABBY MCNITT, 11

North again confronted McNitt. This time it wasn’t a warning.

“You’re up.”

During Everything was a blur. Move through the doors, one of them with a “Break a Leg” sign attached to it. Greet the four judges. One thought: don’t look at them.

Sing. Back out the door. Done.

Two weeks of preparation, and the audition flew by faster than summer break.

How’d I do? I missed a breath, didn’t take a big enough one at this one spot, but other than that it was OK, I guess. I just want whatever role is best for me and the play. Just glad it’s over!

But it wasn’t over. The next two days featured dance auditions and callbacks.

Like the singing audition, they both flew by in a rapacious sprint.

“I wasn’t too nervous during either of those,” McNitt said. “You’re with a group then, and it’s fun to see your friends sing solos.”

Then the sprint screeched to a lagging crawl. Nervousness and anxiety quickly replaced comfort and confidence.

After Despite her efforts, McNitt’s thoughts were not com-

prised of Jacksonian Democracy and Van Buren during seventh hour AHAP; instead, she thought of 3 p.m. That’s when the cast list would be posted.

After school, McNitt along with other choir members approached the list. Then, she saw it.

With the laughs and hugs that followed came feelings of relief and excitement. She would be a chorus member, and that’s just what she wanted.

“Whatever is best-suited for me.”

The Choir Director

Most interesting song that was performed in auditions?

Some songs from Green Day’s “American Idiot.”

What is your favorite role in the musical?

Gaston. He is a larger than life character who you don’t like, Ken Foley but can’t help but enjoy.

Third day is callbacks: Posted in the morning, basically where the acting skills are tested, certain students are called back and read different parts from the script in order to see what role you may be better in.

IanWiseman CarolineCreidenberg

ALEC ARMER, 9

Before As he awaited his audition, freshman Alec Armer reviewed what had led him to this place. He recalled Footloose: the energy, the excitement, the greatness of the whole production. He also looked forward to the enhanced focus of this year’s smaller cast. Armer had always wanted to be part of an East musical, and this was his first chance.

But this was far from his first chance at being cast in

Before “Mic check, mic check.”

“Close the left curtains.”

“Stage left enter now.”

“QUIET.” Direction and organization filled sophomore Olivia Rogers head. It was eighth grade and she was stage left manager. The curtain, the people, the show. She watched the show. But only from stage left.

That was the only theater experience Rogers had ever had, until this year when she heard East was doing her favorite musical — “Beauty and the Beast” — so she decided to audition. Rogers just wanted to audition for fun, for the heck of it.

Rogers wasn’t expecting to make it, and she just wanted to be in the chorus if anything. She attended a few voice lessons in preparation for the audition. Her vocal coach helped her prepare her audition piece “I Whistle a Happy Tune” from the King and I. The second part of audition was dancing. Olivia had experience with dancing and was confident with her dance. She had taken multiple dance classes growing up, and she enjoyed dancing. After two weeks of voice lessons and years of wanting to be in “Beauty and the Beast,” Rogers was ready for her audition.

During Walking into the choir room, nerves were no where

a musical.

Band and orchestra in grade school, “High School Musical” and “Cinderella” the past two summers in Theater in the Park, weekly voice lessons—Armer “loves theater.”

“Plays usually have one theme, either a total comedy or major drama,” Armer said. “But musicals can be as dramatic as possible and still have comedic characters.”

During What can you specifically bring to the cast?

Armer regarded the audition form.

“I was kind of a suck up. I wrote that I have a good work ethic and know when to be serious,” Armer said. “I should have wrote that I can eat a whole large Pizza Hut pizza.”

Then, five minutes before his time, Armer’s nerves “crept up and blasted” him. He began running around, jumping in place, bouncing off walls. Anything to force out the energy—that’s what’ll calm the nerves. Especially with the knowledge that he’d spent only an hour preparing his audition piece.

“Half-hour voice lessons every week, and I worked on

to be found. Rogers just wasn’t nervous, she was ready. Coming straight from a voice lesson, Rogers hummed the tune in her head trying to keep her voice warmed up.

She entered, sang, and left. It was as easy as 1, 2, 3. It wasn’t the biggest deal in the world for Rogers and she was just happy with her audition.

The next day were dance auditions, the area where Rogers was experienced and confident. She entered the dance room not knowing what to expect. What she thought was going to be easier than singing auditions turned out harder.

“The dance was more complex than I thought it was going to be.”

Nevertheless, Rogers used her past dance experience and stayed after to show her leaps and turns. Leaving she felt indifferent, it didn’t go great, but it could have gone worse.

She went home and didn’t think too much about the musical. She was happy to be done with auditions, now all she could do was wait.

After She scanned the computer for her name. Nothing.

it for about five minutes during each one,” Armer said. “I was nervous.”

And yet Armer felt his audition went smoothly.

“No voice cracks,” Armer said.

After Armer stared in disbelief at the callback list. His last name was printed on the list, only it wasn’t him.

He approached Mr. Cappello.

It’s a mistake, right? Tell me it’s a mistake.

Nope.

“Three options ran through my mind,” Armer said.

“One, they had the wrong twin. Second, they only wanted my brother Justin because we’re both so similar.

Third, I sucked and they hated me.”

Then another thought: he was already pegged down for a role.

The next day, Armer learned that this latter hunch was true. He was to be silverware, and he, along with his brother, was one of only six freshmen to earn a spot.

“When I saw my name on the cast list, I had mixed feelings. I was unhappy and shocked that certain people didn’t make it,” Armer said. “But it was still a good moment.”

OLIVIA ROGERS, 10

“I guess I was a little disappointed, I just really wanted to be a part of ‘Beauty and the Beast.”

Rogers had friends over that night, fellow friends who had tried out and not made it. She was consoling them, bringing their spirit back up along with her own.

This wasn’t going to be the end of her theater career though. Rogers has already signed up to a part of House Crew, where she will make posters and decorate the auditorium for the show. It is her favorite musical, so she wants to stay involved.

The Theater Head

What was the hardest thing about picking the cast?

There were so many incredible people who tried out, it was almost ugly to have to cut.

What do you expect the audience to like the most?

It’s fun. It’s shiny. It’s colorful. It’s big. It’s a musical.

Fourth day: Cast and Crew Chiefs are posted after the Frequent Friday

First read through and measurements taken by costumes crew.

First workday: From 3-5 basically a rehearsal for the cast and time for the crew to get started on planning

Every Saturday from there on is a workday from 9-3 which is more for crew than cast. Cast does not have to be there but most of crew does. Each crew works on things they need to get done

Brian Cappello

MarissaHorwitz

06 THEATER

FINDING HER EXPRESSION an opinion of ZoeBrian

My first acting experience took place at the age of six. In a graveyard. Illegally.

My dad and his friends were making a three-minute, black and white silent film to enter in a contest and I was to be the star. Well, not exactly: I was in it for 30 seconds. When I first arrived at our ‘set,’ all I could think about was the big “Do Not Enter” sign hanging on the gate. As I asked if it was okay for us to be there, Dad lifted me up and over the gate without a response.

While I waited for Dad to crawl over the fence I surveyed my surroundings: dead grass, headstones and a stone building sitting on the opposite side of the graveyard. An archway stood connected to nothing, missing stones created gaps in the walls and the roof was completely missing. Dad had made it over the fence and knelt down to my height.

“Over there is the entrance to Hell,” he whispered pointing to the rustic building. “On Halloween, they say, the gates to Hell open right here.”

I was officially creeped out. I don’t remember much other than walking into the building and doing a lot of standing around, but I remember spending a lot of time on something that would be only three minutes long. My cast-mates were two of Dad’s friends, Mike, and Mike’s then-girlfriend. Mike spun me around on his shoulders and lifted me in the air and his girlfriend let me wear her costume pieces while we waited for my dad to set up. As I stood in the building with her veil over my face, I realized that it wasn’t as much about making the movie as much as it was about the memories made.

From then on, I was hooked. Not necessarily on acting but on the feeling of being around entertaining people and being part of something unique. Dad proceeded to make films with me in them, and my range grew from screaming little kid to Miss Muffet to a murderous hand buried in leaves. While being cast in my dad’s films was fun, I wanted to know if I could make it on my own.

In the summer before sixth grade, I signed up for an acting class at the Coterie Theatre for just that purpose. We would be performing

The Stage Manager

“The Wizard of Wonderland”, a musical mashup of “The Wizard of Oz” and “Alice in Wonderland.” The first day there, we auditioned for roles. I went in feeling confident, but during the vocal audition my voice cracked and I panicked, dropping lyrics left and right. Surprisingly, I was still cast as the role of the White Rabbit, a main character who donned a FlavorFlav-size clock around his neck.

As the rehearsals went on, I became best friends with the Scarecrow, played by a girl named Cianan who attended school at Pembroke Hill. She and I sat by each other during every rehearsal and lunch. When Cianan developed a crush on a flying monkey, I was sent to tell him she thought he was cute. They started dating, but the next week she had a crush on the lead and I had to tell him she liked him, too. Of course, this was before her boyfriend dumped her because of suspicions of another crush. Though it sounds stupid now, the fact that she chose me out of all the other cast members to be her messenger made me feel special and even needed.

The first day without rehearsal felt empty.

All I wanted to do was return to the Coterie and see my friends. What I discovered over the next week was that the theater was something I needed. After that camp I knew that the theater was a place I belonged.

During middle school my experience in theater shifted dramatically. My drama teacher didn’t like me at all and certainly wasn’t afraid to show it. I was cast in basically the same part both years, in the musicals “The Music Man” and “Bye, Bye, Birdie” and was constantly placed in the back of scenes. After being yelled at continuously by my teacher/director, I didn’t know if all the work was worth it. But my friends pulled me through: whenever I considered quitting they would cheer me up and keep me motivated. With their help, I resolved to continue in theater no matter who told me I was weak.

I gained confidence last year when I beat out over 50 people for a spot in then-senior Hannah Copeland’s Frequent Friday “The Allegory of Suzie Moore and Jeremy Layte.” After being cast in only one of the eight Frequent Fri-

LindseyHartnett

Through theater, sophomore found her voice and a close-knit community

days and being hated by my teacher in middle school I was ready to quit theater—then “The Allegory” came into my life. Hannah’s directorial skills were like nothing I had seen in the past seven years, and she is the reason my passion for theater was rekindled.

During the first week of rehearsal, Hannah showed up sniffling and with red eyes. Even though it had only been one week, we were all worried about her and asked what was wrong.

She burst into tears as she told us about a recent breakup. That day we became family. We worked together, we played together, and we were always there for each other. If someone messed with one cast member, they messed with them all.

Over the next few months, we grew closer through games of Pass the Clap and viewing parties of “Finding Nemo,” where we made connections between our show and “Nemo.” It felt like the “Wizard of Wonderland” all over again, except this time the friendships wouldn’t end after the show did.

After months of preparation, we performed our show twice, a rarity in Frequent Friday history. Once it was over I found myself again not knowing what to do.

But this time it was different. This time I had friendships that would last, I had memories that were permanent and inside jokes that would never get old. Any time I hear the word “bow tie” I laugh, even after one year, every time I see my ex-cast-mates I say “hi,” or repeat one of the lines that became an inside joke. I still keep in touch with the eight seniors involved in the show and I have become better friends with those still in school.

My first acting experiences led me to continue in acting and search for friendships, but after middle school I wasn’t so sure it was for me. “The Allegory” reminded me that theater isn’t about the performances or praise, it’s about the relationships formed backstage, the laughs had and the tears shed. When you get right down to it, why else would you spend months preparing for a show that would only be performed once?

To see videos of Frequent Fridays, auditions and more, visit smeharbinger.net

PAST ACTS A look at Zoe’s early performances

Bye, Bye, Birdie

“ This is the show that almost convinced me to quit acting. I hated the music. I hated the costumes. I hated everything.”

Maul of the Dead

“My dad wrote it so I got to spend a lot of time with the director and the main cast and I learned a lot about acting because of them.”

Sorority House of the Dead

“ This was my first professional show as a lead. It was time consuming, but worth the praise from the press.”

What was your favorite part of calling Machinal?

Watching the fluid and abrupt transitions.

What’s your favoite play you’ve been a part of at East? Why? Guys and Dolls my freshman year—everything was big, new Gillian O’Connell and pretty to me.

After the show we strike the set, this means we take down everything from the stage: lights, set, First Run-thru is Dec 14- perform entire February 3, 4 and costumes and put everything away. This typically takes three or four hours, then the after-party! show (not in costume) without stopping 5 - shows

Information provided by

ZoeBrian

STAR SCALE

SNOOZER

enough to engage me throughout the play, and literally had me at the edge of my set.

As the play goes on, Jones ends up falls in love with another man, creating her to become even more anxious and pressured from the world around her. She fights the thoughts of what is love, and what it means to be married, knowing she fell in love with a different man.

Jones finally snaps and murders her husband, breaking a glass bottle filled with stones over his head.

She was found guilty by the court, which sends her to the electric chair.

I thought that the play was executed well.

The screams and wails of Long’s monologues made me cringe as I felt legitimate concern for her. That, along with great acting from the rest of the cast, making the stage seem like a machine, and made the play an edge-of-yourseat kind of play. It took concentration to follow, and was dripping with creativity as the cast acted out their lines to the point I felt sad,

happy and scared all rolled into one very well done production.

The play left a bad taste in my mouth at the end. The final scene shows Jones, wailing in the electric chair, screaming till the very end, when the electricity goes through her body and ends her life. The curtain then falls, and the crowed is left to digest what just happened. I loved this. It wasn’t the usual happy ending that everyone in the crowd wants, and different is good.

Overall, I was pleased with the entire experience. I could feel the tension throughout the crowed, waiting to see Jones crack.

I was glad to see the East Theater Department taking on new challenges and not settling for a regular play. The only thing I disliked about the the play was during the scene

RAGE MACHINE WORTH SEEING

07 THEATE R

changes, you could see the crew. I didn’t like this, for it distracted me from watching the characters on stage.

Though minor, that was my only complaint.

Kudos should go out to the theater program for excelling once again in a top notch high school play.

Turn the page to see a photo essay from “Machinal,” and go to smeharbinger.net to see play cuts.

AGAINST THE

GrantHeinlein

ChrisHeady

At this year’s play cuts for “Machinal,” unlike some students around me, I was enthralled with the creativity and dark concept for the play. After watching just the first scene, featuring the world portrayed as a machine, a woman creeped on by her boss and the concept of that same woman murdering her husband, there was no doubt I had to go see it.

“Machinal” tells the story of Helen Jones, one of the first women to get the electric chair. Jones, brilliantly played by junior Duri Long, has obvious personality problems, anxiety issues and always thinks negatively throughout the play. She strives to be accepted by others around her who are already married, so she forces herself to marry her boss, even though she despises him.

Based in the 1920’s, Machinal portrays the world as a machine, with immovable parts.

Everyone moving in motion, few mistakes, plastic smiles, as if each person is a puzzle piece in the world, and nothing else.

I found this aspect of the play intriguing.

I haven’t witnessed a play that took on such broad outlooks on life and brought them on stage. The dialogue was a little tough to follow since the lines were short and concise, but I liked that. It was something new, not just a regular old play that I was expecting.

I thought the play was tough to relate to, since it was based around adult themes and among adults. Yet I found the concept interesting enough to grab the viewer. The dark theme and depressing surrounding was

Fall play points out machine-like nature of life

CALL FOR AN ENCORE

TONY-WORTHY

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08 THEATER

Technically Sound

Theater’s tech-heavy fall show ‘Machinal’ stuns audience with darkness of subject matter

During the final scene of the play, junior Duri Long, below, strains against the electric chair moments before she is executed. “[“Machinal”] was a play that most high schools don’t do because of the challenge,” Long said. “We put forth the work that was needed, and it turned out to be a huge success.” GrantHeinlein

Junior Duri Long, far above, cringes at the touch of her husband’s fingers. Long plays the wife who is ultimately executed for the murder of her husband. GrantHeinlein During the excecution scene, the three reporters observe Long’s final words and wails.

The reporters, above, are seen throughout the final scenes of the play, documenting the end of her life. DanStewart Seniors Jack Dee and Nathan Simpson, bottom left, argue the opposing sides of the Young Woman’s case. “[“Machinal”] gave audience members a new view on plays,” Dee said. “With it’s expressionistic style, it made the audience much more involved with the show.” GrantHeinlein Fixing props on the stage, senior Polly Mytinger prepares for the second presentation during play cuts.

LindseyHartnett