This article was written by Eliza Pratt
With rehearsals officially underway, anticipation is building for the new productions coming to the high school. These productions include “The Fantasists” and “Knuffle Bunny.” Before you watch, take a look behind the curtain to see what goes into the production of these two plays and what makes them memorable and unique!
Unlike previous years, the goal of these productions is to interest a younger audience, catering to what they would find funny and entertaining. “Knuffle Bunny” is based on author Mo Willems’ children’s book, following a toddler named Trixie who accidentally loses her favorite stuffed bunny on a trip to the laundromat with her dad. She embarks on a journey to retrieve the bunny, and the two of them learn more about each other along the way. “The Fantasists”—written by Randy Wyatt—tells the story of two young opposing wizard-storytellers, Floriad and Somnia. These plays will be performed not only at our school, but at other schools in the district and surrounding districts. This allows many kids to enjoy these productions.
Director of the theater program since 2019, Matt McKay is excited to bring this new idea to life at the high school. It involves new concepts and is traveling to different schools to create a more immersive showing.
“We were intending to travel these shows to other schools. So it’s very slim on set pieces and props, it’s bare minimum, which is a great experience for our theater students to get a sense of traveling theater,” McKay said.
Taking the stage can be scary and nerve-racking, but for Jada Smith, having been a part of theater since middle school, acting is a form of expressing herself freely. In The Fantasists, Jada is taking on the role of Shambala, the mentor for Somnia.
“Plays serve as an outlet for creativity, and it’s not for everybody. Being able to be on a stage and tell a story, but being able to communicate something that most people can’t, I just love acting,” Smith said.
A very important part of theater and putting together a production is the crew. They work behind the scenes to make sure everything runs smoothly and according to plan. Ethan Schillim serves as one of the stage managers for “The Fantasists”. These plays have a sense of light-heartedness as opposed to a more serious presentation.
“I hope it’s a fun show. My hope is they just have a good time. It’s not as deep as some of the other shows, but people have a good time watching it,” Schillim said.
From the magic in “The Fantasists” to the heart-rending and hilarious journey in “Knuffle Bunny,” there is so much to see and enjoy on the stage in November. Best of luck and break a leg to everyone involved in this year’s productions!
If you are interested in buying tickets for the show, click here!
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