By Babiha Kaur, Digital Editor
As the 2022-2023 school year begins, some students are not only diving into studying, but are also preparing to perform in the fall play, Clue. The performance takes place at the end of the month, specifically on October 27th-30th. Auditions took place on September 6th with callbacks the next day, and now that the final cast list is posted, students are extremely excited to be part of theater once again.
“I love the people, I love the environment, and I’ve always been a theater kid [ever] since I learned about what the theater was,” stated Mira Karpati, a junior in the River Hill theater program who is playing the part of the “Unexpected Motorist”. She loved taking part in last year’s musical, Matilda, because it was an “experience [she] really enjoyed.”
Mira isn’t the only one who is eager to be on stage. Many students can’t wait to show off their amazing talents while pursuing their passions. Sophomore Jonathan Mackrell has been in two of River Hill’s productions: The Complete History of theater (Abridged) and Matilda. When asked why he would like to come back to the theater, he exclaimed, “Being part of the play means being part of a community of great people who share common interests and goals.”
Although it’s exciting to be a part of the cast, being a part of theater doesn’t have to mean acting on stage. Senior Rachel Warfield has been on Crew for three years at River Hill. This year, she is one of the two stage managers who oversees the crew. The Crew is in charge of moving scenery, painting and building sets, making props, choosing costumes, and helping with microphones and lights. She likes the community of people because “they’re fun to be around,” and is looking forward to making the set for Clue and designing stage lights.
Even the cast is excited to work with the Crew. Junior Harrison McCarthy is playing the role of Colonel Mustard in the play. Harrison acted in Matilda last year and is thrilled to be on cast. He looks forward to meeting new people who joined Crew and possibly working with the new set. He exclaims, “I’m really excited for cast and crew to integrate and work together again but in a different setting with different characters and different kinds of sets.”
Although being a part of the play is a fun activity, it is also a major time commitment. Rehearsals are starting the week after auditions and take place from 2:45 to 5:00 p.m after school. Harrison states, “I’m a little bit nervous about memorizing my lines because I do have a lot of them.” However, he thinks it will be manageable because his character’s lines are “relatively simple.” Even though rehearsals are long and sometimes tiresome, they are definitely worth it.
To many, the theater community is a safe place for everyone to share their interests and talents while meeting new people. “I’ve made a lot of new friends. It’s a very rewarding experience,” Jonathan concludes.
Overall, everyone in River Hill theater loves being part of a special community of individuals who are able to show off their amazing talents through acting or working backstage. The fall play is an opportunity for students to make new friends, learn more about the theater, and enjoy being part of a unique experience. With Clue’s performance just on the horizon, River Hill’s theater department is getting off to a great start.