Senior Showcases 2018

Bezalel: Scenography in the Shadow of Eden
By Madeline Hopkins

This installation of scenic designs by Madeline Hopkins will be on display in “The Perch” (Barrington 201) through May 5, 2018. Bezalel is produced in collaboration with directors Kristen Zingg, Nicholas Blondell, and Edward Lindem.

Art is a unique way to walk in the shadow of Christ, creating as He creates. Scenic design allows for a deeper level of this process, as artists collaborate to build not only a beautiful picture but an entirely unique atmosphere and space for catharsis. Theatre is a way to pursue the light and question the darkness in the world around us, and it pushes us to find beauty and hope in the midst of what often looks like tragedy. Children’s theatre, specifically, provides an innovative way for kids to grow and heal emotionally, and the technical elements of theatre allow them another outlet for developing practical skills with little risk involved. Participating in theatre tech encourages them to be stronger critical thinkers and creators. Bezalel: Scenog- raphy in the Shadow of Eden asks for a beautiful and appropriate space for kids to grow as people and learn to experience the world in others’ shoes.

Restitute
A film by Nathan Burgett

May 7th, 6–6:30 PM

Nathan Burgett presents his final film project, Restitute, in the Barrington Cinema Room, Monday, May 7th, 6–6:30 PM.

When a Union skirmisher is faced with the perilous option of death or running away, he chooses life and deserts the Union army.

Lightning, Thunder
Presented by Carl Kraines and Abigail Erdelatz 

When a bolt of lightning strikes, a crash of thunder inevitably follows. Every time we hear the rumble of distant thunder, we know that somewhere, lightning has struck, and its effects have traveled to reach us.

At some point in our lives, each of us will be faced with unthinkable choices.
To speak. To act. To move forward. To do nothing at all. Though we are as broken and jagged as the lightning above our heads, we must do what we can to make the right choice. Regardless of what we choose in that flash of a moment, we all feel the effects, reverberating out for miles.

In this show, you will see several broken people as they encounter the cause and effect of choice. Sometimes you will see the lightning. Sometimes you will hear the thunder. And, on some remarkable occasions, you will experience both in the same moment.

Order of scenes: Lungs, Oleanna, Macbeth, Lungs, The Importance of Being Earnest, Oleanna, Macbeth, Lungs

CAST AND CREW

Man (Lungs) John (Oleanna) Macbeth (Macbeth) John ‘Jack’ Worthing (The Importance of Being Earnest) - Carl Kraines

Woman (Lungs) Carol (Oleanna) Lady Macbeth (Macbeth) Cecily Cardew (The Importance of Being Earnest) - Abigal Erdelatz

Algernon Moncrieff (The Importance of Being Earnest) - Nick Hammes

Gwendolen Fairfax (The Importance of Being Earnest) - Sage Higgins

Stage Manager - Mary Trudel 
Run Crew - Madeline Hopkins, Mikhaila Young

Someone Else’s Shoes
Written and performed by Daniel Lefferts 

I don’t know how this is going to go. Rehearsal only prepares you so much, and that’s exciting. It’s also terrifying. This time it’s just me.

It is far more difficult to be vulnerable as yourself. Spilling out one’s guts as a char- acter is safe, because there is the shield of all their truth being theirs and not yours. However it does take personal vulnerability to express their desires and failures.

Challenge: If I can be vulnerable as myself, I believe that will give me the ability to be truthful as a character.

—Daniel Lefferts

“I’ve learned that you can fail at what you don’t love, so you might as well do what you love.” -Jim Carrey

“You don’t step on a stage to eat, you go there to be eaten.” -Tom Hardy

“You have to have an actor’s arrogance. It’s a sense of ownership. I can do this and I’m going to present this to you. Now, that’s why there’s the qualifier; ‘Actor’s’ arro- gance. You don’t want to take that into the real world because it’s smug and ugly.” - Bryan Cranston

“To me, putting the word character in front of the word actor is a compliment be- cause it means people are seeing the character rather than the actor, which at the end of the day is my ultimate goal.” -J.K. Simmons

Mars Actually
Written by Superbolt Theatre 
Directed by Rebecca Minasian 

Laughter is a powerful vehicle for connection and communication. It’s also a really weird thing we do almost involuntarily as humans. I like to think of it as a noise we make because words cannot yet describe the happiness we feel in that immediate moment. And it’s even better when other people are making the same noise as we are. Laughter transcends language. It is an organic point of instant connection that needs no intense amount of knowledge to understand.

The three Martians you see before you don’t know much about Earth, or anything outside of Mars, actually. But I hope that you will hear their story and find something familiar in it. To me, and to our lovely Martians, this story is about you. For the next 45 minutes or so, I challenge you to have an open mind and heart so that you can receive whatever happens in the moment. Besides, how many people can say they’ve met three real live Martians? I know I could.

—Rebecca Minasian

“Sometimes I think the surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is that none of it has tried to contact us.” —Calvin, Calvin and Hobbes

“I hope that I will never forget the salvific power of joyful laughter” —Madeleine L’Engle

CAST AND CREW

Gracey Fernandez - Rebecca Minasian
Piper Spinner - Kayla Gardner
Banjo Filter - Sage Higgins

Stage Manager - Izzy Pillone
Sound Designer - Madeline Hopkins
Additional Direction - Kaylah Dixon, Haylie Petre

Mars Actually was written by Superbolt Theatre and performed at the 2017 Edinburgh Fringe Festival, where I first saw it and could not sit still in my chair because I was laughing so hard. Special thanks to Simon, Maria, and Frode for letting me pester you over email with questions and telling me that things will be OK, and thank you for allowing me to perform your show here and for creating a brave, bold, and new story that is life changing and meant to be shared. Please be sure to check out their company and more of their work at superbolttheatre.com.

Calla Lily
An ensemble piece directed by Mikhaila Young 

Calla lilies are most often associated with death. What is often forgotten is that these beautiful flowers are also symbolic of rebirth. White calla lilies hold additional meaning in the language of flowers: purity and innocence.

Calla Lily is a devised movement piece about human trafficking victims. Please be advised that this show contains adult themes and is not considered appropriate for children.

If you would like to learn about how you can help please visit amirahnewengland.org. —Mikhaila Young

CAST AND CREW

Cast - Gwendolin Bellamy, Rachel Burgett, Brittany Cardoza,
Kari-Grace Higley, Christina Schrader

Director - Mikhaila Young
Stage Manager - Kelley Alogna
Lighting Designer - Edward Lindem
Sound Designer - Elizabeth Van Bebber
Special thanks to - Bekah Jordan, Alison Neumann

Fleas
Written and directed by Garrett E. Reynolds 

This play is for my family. They wrote my story so that I could write this one. —Garrett E. Reynolds

CAST AND CREW

Paul - Daniel Lefferts
Suzie - Amelia Haas
Hunter - Juice Wacker
Ivan - Nick Blondell

Director - Garrett E. Reynolds
Stage Manager - Alexia Rowe

Dedicated to Sam Shepard (1943–2017)