November 2022

SM Theater

‘TIL DEATH DO US PART

A sneak peak into the comedy that will make you die laughing

| page 3

SWEATSHIRTS VS SWEATERS

The hardest wardrobe decision of the Autumn season | page 5

40 DAYS FOR LIFE

A description of the candlelight vigil and what it fought for | page 7

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Hello SMCHS Student Body!

OUR EDITORS FIONA KELLY

EVA RYKOWSKY

Media MARGARET KATHOL

Hannah Koch Kylie Aus Marie Wilson Rory Milbradt Libby Kadrmas Liam Turman

Fiona Kelly Editor-in-Chief

A

3 FEATURE

You’ve been invited to the most offbeat wedding of the season, where murder takes center stage and all the guests are suspects. This is a wedding like none other. The SMCHS Theater Department cordially invites you to the wedding of the season in its production of ‘Til Death do us Part, by Craig Sodaro, a murder-mystery comedy that all will enjoy. The wedding of herbologist Lotus Blossom to zookeeper Leo Lomax begins like any other wedding. But when one of the guests mysteriously dies, it is up to Ms. Polly Peabody and the rest of the wacky guests to identify the killer before any more of them drop dead. Is everyone really just a guest, or are there secrets lurking in every corner?

This year’s cast has been working hard to perfect this play’s unique blocking and all around chaotic antics. They’ve had enormous fun working on this production for the past few months and can’t wait to reveal this brillliant comedy; a perfect marriage between humor and suspense.

If you enjoyed last year’s fall play, Strange Days at Summer Camp, then you are going to love ‘Til Death do us Part, a play packed with comedy and chaos with a mystery that will keep you guessing until the end. So mark your calendars for November 18-19th at 7 pm and 20th at 2 pm in the William J. Schmidt Auditorium for a night of fun like no other.

Herb Lomax

Eula Lomax

Betsy Crocker

Ramon Escobar

Howard Aunt Hildy Glinda Rhoda Fanny Fishburne Polly Peabody Cousin Etta Leo Lomax Newton Figg Lulu Depew

Mother Gearth Lotus Blossom

Wedding Guests

SMCHS THEATREPRESENTS

Nate Letteer

Bella Sletteland

Elizabeth Siemers

Sean Hughes

Brogan Kral

Maja Dojs

Marie Wilson

Margaret Kathol

Katja Dojs

Eva Rykowsky

Natalie Kincaid

Samuel Huntington

Daniel Wojciehowski

Rebekah Roller

Fiona Kelly

Eva Steier

Alex Hagerott, Ange

Asongkeng, Elizabeth Heinert, Jackson Kirkeide, Katie Dahmen, Kayla Hilzendeger, Kerstin Hilzendeger, Kylie Aus, Liam Turman, and Samantha Gray

My favorite memory was my freshman year play, Under the Big Top, the last one we did at the UMary auditorium. Being backstage and running around was chaotic and so much fun. I made really great relationships with the upper classmen that year and was very inspired by them to work hard to grow my own acting skills.

My favorite character was definitely Scar, the evil henchman I played in last year’s Strange Days at Summer Camp. There were some great physical comedy bits and lots of slapstick, which was very fun to perform. Scar had so much energy at all times which was really fun to bring to the stage!

That’s very difficult to answer, there have been great plays every year, but I think this year’s play, ‘Til Death do us Part, is my favorite. Its really cool to have such a big cast of characters and see everyone shine in their own roles. I think the cast this year has amazing chemistry and it just makes everything so much fun.

I will miss the running jokes and all the fun games we play as a cast at rehearsals. Most of all, I will miss the great relationships I made through the theater program. I’ve met some amazing upperclassmen and underclassmen throughout my years in SMCHS theater and I can’t wait to come back to watch future performances.

Senior Spotlight

Being in theater has presented me with so many good memories, it’s hard to pick just one! I think my favorite memory of participating in theater had to be after last years play. It was my first year receiving a leading role, and I remember feeling super proud of how I performed and having a really fun time with the rest of the cast.

Every character I’ve played holds a special place in my heart, and I see parts of myself in each one. I think my overall favorite character has to be Corky, one of the evil (but also bubble-headed) sidekicks from my freshmen year play, Under the Big Top This character is who initially started my theater journey and I have so many good memories from that play.

Each SMCHS play I’ve been a part of is so unique in its own way, and I love aspects of every one. I’m really excited for this years’ play though, as the plot is super fun and I love a good mystery (especially when there’s humor involved!)

Theater will forever be a part of who I am, and I think that’s what I’ll miss the most. The time I spent being a part of the SMCHS theatre department has allowed for me to form such amazing relationships with other people while improving my performance skills. I am so grateful for all the people, memories, and performances that shaped me into the person I am today, and will remain a staple memory from my high school experience.

What has been a favorite memory from participating in theater?

Who has been your favorite character you’ve played?

What has been your favorite SMCHS play so far?

What will you miss most about being involved in theater?

Bella Sletteland Eva Rykowsky

Enjoy these fun interviews from two SM Theater Seniors who have been with the program for all 4 years!

Interview With V eller

An interview with our wonderful SM Theater director

| Kayla Hilzendeger

Why did you decide to pick this play to put on this year?

I wanted to do something different from last year. I’ve always thought a murder mystery would be fun, and I’m getting married this summer, so I just think it’s kind of funny!

Have there been any funny rehearsal stories?

Everyone’s energy is amazing but specifically, Sean and Daniel tangoing is the highlight of my life.

Have you learned any lessons from directing the school play?

As a director, I’m the one that is supposed to be in control, but there is a lot of stuff that I actually can’t control. Once you guys are on stage, whatever happens is what happens. For me, it’s learning how to accept that I am not in control all the time, and just being confident that you all know what you’re doing.

What is your favorite part of being a director?

All of the actors that I get to work with.

What kind of audience is going to enjoy this production most?

Everyone! I love it when students come, obviously, because it’s their friends that are on stage and that adds a fun element too, but this one is family-friendly: parents, kids, there’s comedy for everyone!

Which qualities did you see in the lead cast that made them perfect for their roles, and who is most like their role?

Another reason I picked this play is that it is so ensemble heavy, and I had so many seniors this year that I wanted something that would give something to everyone. I think what I look for at auditions and in previous shows is someone who is just willing to go for whatever crazy thing the script asks. And, I don’t want to offend Fiona but I think Fiona fits Mother Gearth really well! Sorry, Fiona!

Forgotton Fall Foods

| Sam Huntington

Pumpkin spice makes everything nice… right?

Pumpkin spice often takes the spotlight of fall flavors, even though there are so many great foods forgotten during this season. Here are some of the foods that we have forgotten, or forgotten were supposed to be fall themed.

Reese’s Pumpkins:

Are they just Reese’s peanut butter cups? Yes, they are, but they are shaped like pumpkins. Does that make it a fall food? Also yes.

Since apples can be bought practically at any time, people often forget that one of the common times to harvest apples is in the fall, making apples a fall flavor.

You know the stuffing that your grandmother serves on Thanksgiving? That, as well as most of the other foods at the Thanksgiving table, qualifies as a fall food.

Yes, caramel is a flavor supposed to be associated with fall. As a society, we seem to have forgotten that, so we get it in our Starbucks in mid-July.

This is actually debatable, because it can be used in lots of different things, and when you eat it you don’t really feel like you have the brown autumn leaves falling around you. However, it pairs well with almost all other fall foods, making it something that can be considered a fall flavor.

Sweatshirts vs Sweaters

| Nate Letteer

As the cold weather creeps upon lovely North Dakota, the choice is presented to the population: the diversity of sweaters or the comfort and practicality of sweatshirts? Although both are highly comfortable, when it comes to leisure sweatshirts are far more practical. There are two main sweatshirt options to decide between: crewnecks or hoodies. Crewnecks offer a sleeker more basic design, but hoodies offer elemental protection with the hood, as well as storage, which is highly advantageous for women, as female pants offer no pocket space. Now, deciding between those may seem hard, but either way, you are set for comfort throughout the whole day. Sweaters, on the other hand, have far more options to choose between. Only a few will be mentioned. The larger classifications are cardigans and pullovers. Sewn

together or not together? That is the question. Most Sweaters can be used for comfort and formal attire. If you decide on a cardigan, chances are you’re wearing it with a dress or a nice shirt for a formal occasion. They can also, however, be comfortable when lounging around in your spare time. Now, if you decide on a pullover, you must decide based on the shirt you have underneath if you wear a crew cut or v-neck cut sweater. Both can look classy or be used for comfort, but if the shirt underneath is collared, v-necks are highly encouraged. If you just want to have the sweater be the focus, a crew neck is best. In the end, no matter which you prefer, there is always a time and a place for both sweatshirts and sweaters.

Movie

Review:

Don’t Worry Darling

| Eli Davis

Don’t Worry Darling is one of the biggest and most talked about films of the year, but is it really worth all the hype? The film centers around a 1950s community in the company town of Victory. The town is home to many couples, the men all working on a top secret project while the women are free to enjoy their environment. What should be a perfect community slowly begins to reveal itself as something much more sinister. The film is a thriller/mystery, starring Florence Pugh as Alice and none other than Harry Styles himself as Jack. Don’t Worry Darling is a commentary on the unhealthy relationship standards of the 1950s and how women were unequal or subordinate to their husbands. On paper, the film is a rather interesting concept and, given the cast and producers, had the potential to be a very high quality film. However, the film falls short on a number of levels. The script and storyline can be rather confusing and inconsistent, and Styles’ acting leaves something to be desired. Due to negative reviews, the movie did not do as well at the box office as anticipated, making $85.1 million as of November 8th and a disappointing 39% on Rotten Tomatoes. Despite this, the film has gained a lot of traction due to its casting of Harry Styles, whose acting career is beginning to take off (whether that is a good thing is up for debate) Don’t Worry Darling is available for streaming on Hulu and HBO Max as well as in theaters.

Album Review: Midnights

| Eli Davis

Easily the biggest album to drop this year is Taylor Swift’s Midnights. With some incredible releases in the past few years, including evermore and folklore, the standards for Swift’s new album were very high. Whether it lived up to the hype surrounding it is up to the listener, but there is no denying the massive traction and success this album has generated. Midnights strays from the folky singer-songwriter vibe of her previous albums, and explores a more electronic and synthy sound. If there’s one thing this album has, it’s consistency with its simple drum loops and synthy progressions in almost every song. The album is coherent and flows beautifully from one song to the next, which creates an immersive experience. This can, however, lead to a sense of repetitiveness and lack of diversity for some. Swift once again teams up with Jack Antonoff as her producer,

something that, for me personally, is one of the biggest issues with this album. Despite his work with critically acclaimed artists, Jack Antonoff’s production leaves something to be desired, and is truly the main factor holding this album back. Of course it isn’t the only flaw, as Swift’s songwriting and lyricism bring nothing new to the table. She has proven herself as a songwriter in past projects, worthy of the praise she receives, but Midnights is a step backwards from her previous albums. All of this is not to say there aren’t some decent tracks on the album, my personal favorite being the opener, “Lavender Haze.” To sum it up, Midnights, despite its massive commercial success, leaves much to be desired and is truly a step backwards from her previous works. Regardless, I am still excited to see what Swift does next, and hope her next project is a step in the right direction.

40 Days for Life

| Eva Steier

Early this month, SM students gathered at the Bismarck capital for the annual Saints For Life Vigil. The vigil commemorates the worldwide 40 Days for Life campaign, which seeks to end abortion, protect the lives of the unborn, and aid women seeking an abortion in protecting the life of their child. The turnout was great, with over 100 estimated students gathering to pray the rosary for an end to abortion. This year, it seemed just as important as ever. As many may know, the Supreme Court case Roe v. Wade, which has protected access to abortion since its passing in 1973, was overturned late last June. After nearly 50 years of federally legal abortion across America, and millions of lives lost, the power to outlaw abortion has been returned to the states. In many states, trigger laws were set to criminalize abortion after a certain waiting period in the case of Roe ever being overturned. North Dakota was one of these. However, even though the state’s only abortion clinic has moved across state lines into Minnesota, leaving North Dakota theoretically “abortion free”, judicial blocks have prevented the trigger laws from passing. If passed, abortion would be illegal in most cases in North Dakota, with exceptions for cases of rape, incest, or direct danger to the mother. Students at Saint Mary’s ought to see this and seek to protect the unborn and the women who find themselves in difficult situations. That is why the 40 Days for Life Vigil event at SMCHS is only one of the ways in which the Saints For Life group plans to get involved, by recognizing the dignity of life at all stages.

SENIOR SPOTLIGHT

LILY HAAG | GOLF

MESSENGER: What is your golf origin story?

LILY: I was a seventh grader and my grandpa wanted me to learn golf so that I could get a scholarship for college. I am still working on getting that scholarship…

M: Favorite memories from your high school golfing career?

L: My favorite memory was probably when one of my teammates got stuck in between a bus seat on a golf trip. The seat broke and threw her forward and then she got stuck in the pillows and no one was helping her because it was 5 am and everyone was sleeping. Then all of a sudden, I heard someone struggling and we all had to help her out of the seat.

M: Best and worst parts about golf?

L: The best part about golf is probably the people that you meet. The worst part is when we don’t have snacks while we are playing.

M: What is something you would like to be remembered for after you graduate?

L: I want to be remembered as funny and as a person that people feel like they can talk to. I want to be known as someone who people want to be around.

M: If there was one thing you could change from high school what would it be?

L: I would redo everything from middle school through high school. I would do it all again and try to enjoy it more. If I got to do everything again, I would definitely try a lot harder.

M: Future plans?

L: I want to become the assistant golf coach next year. I’m going to go to BSC or NDSU and get a business degree. Then, I want to go to trade school to become a mechanic.

TOMMY KRALJIC | FOOTBALL

MESSENGER: How do you think the team did this year, considering you were moved up a division?

TOMMY: We did okay. Definitely not the best but considering we moved up a division we did okay and at least we beat BHS.

M: If there was one thing you’d say the team could improve on overall, what would that be?

T: Discipline and doing your job without worrying about others. Just trusting that if you do what you need to and everyone else does too, everything will workout.

M: Do you have any advice for the next classes on how to make their seasons as enjoyable as possible?

T: Don’t play for yourself and come to practice everyday with energy and effort.

By Julianna Lengowski and Sam Huntington

Interviews