by Bailey Matteson
Do you like mystery, drama, action? If all these things capture your interest, then you should come to the P.A.C. today or tomorrow at 7 p.m. to watch “How to Get Away with a Murder Mystery.” Trust me, you don’t want to miss anything. As we get close to Thanksgiving, most people think that the spookiness of the season has to stop, but what if I told you it didn’t? Picture this: An elusive mansion, it’s mid October and you’ve been invited by the senator of your quaint little town to have tea with her, but as the tea party commences, boom, a crash and calamity no one is really sure about happens. As soon as it’s over you turn to face the company that’s also been invited and in front of you and them, gasp, “she’s dead,” the senator says in shock. The room goes into a panic trying to figure out who committed the awful crime and worst of all, you are a suspect in the tragedy. That’s right, if you come to the P.A.C. today or tomorrow, you too can join the fun of this elusive mystery along with several other mysteries to solve. Put your detective caps on, your next case has just arrived!
If you're new to the world of theater, let me give you some insight into production here at Estrella Foothills High School. It's composed of the drama club and fellow participants outside of the club throughout our school. Mrs. Schultz is the director for most of the shows we put on. Our theater community here at EFHS has a little bit of everything for everyone. If you're interested in the art of sound design and bringing stories to life through the art of lighting, the tech teams for our productions might be the perfect fit for you. If you just want to showcase your talent and demonstrate your potential, then being on stage might be for you. There are many ways you can showcase who you are in theater as integrity and authenticity has always been the heart of our theater community. If you honor honesty, you will feel right at home in our theater community.
If you want to know why theater is so important, look no further than Mrs. Schultz who in a recent interview with her told me that her favorite thing about theater is that “It has a variety of possibility for creative outlet.”
I know that everyone is an artist in some way and if you just want to let your creative juices flow and show everything you’ve got, theater is the perfect place to let yourself run free creatively. The fall show has a lot to offer in a variety of interests. If you're more interested in fashion, the costuming team might be perfect for you to add your creative flair to what is worn onstage. Are you interested in being engaged with the stage rather than on it? Helping the actors, but not feeling comfortable being one? Stage management will most likely be enjoyable for you to try. Like Mrs. Shultz says, there truly is a variety of possibilities for creative outlet, and as a thespian I can say that the variety are the people who make everything onstage as well as off stage magical. Everyone onstage and offstage comes together to make magic happen and that’s the true beauty of theater and what we do in theater at EFHS. Maybe this has ignited your interest and if it has, I suggest you don’t hesitate: participate. I can assure you you won’t regret it.
The production of the fall play is a lot to unpack but it's enjoyable nonetheless. If you want to know how everything comes together to put on our amazing shows, you’ve come to the right place. As we’ve kicked off production our actors have done wonderfully in bringing their characters to life. Be ready for some golden moments and bold laughs, as I can assure you our characters will not disappoint. When asked about the process actors go through when putting on the show, how they get into character and how they overcome stage fright, Mrs. Shultz “repetition, practice and rehearsal, as well as knowing your character and then repetition practice and rehearsal.”
For anyone interested in shining onstage, the winter play isn’t that far away. Now's your chance to think about participating in it. Being an actor is incredibly fun and I would recommend anyone who feels the spark to give it a try and take a chance. The stage is calling you, don’t be shy and act on your talent. On the tech side of things when I asked Mrs. Shultz how technicians use set and lighting to tell the story of the show, her answer was that “if all the tech areas make sure that they’re familiar with the show, understand the director's vision and communicate like crazy, everything usually works out beautifully.”
Every element of tech works together when communicating properly to bring the story to life and actors take the time to constantly work at building their characters and rehearsing non stop repeatedly to bring the people the story is about to life. Every element of theater works beautifully to put together a wonderful story. I love that EFHS really showcases the beauty of theater in how it just brings everyone together and this show is such high evidence of how we work together.
All in all, if you want a fun story and want to see talent being showcased as well as seeing just how beautiful something can be when we work as one to make magic, come to the PAC today or tomorrow and you really won’t regret it. Coming to support our shows is also a great way to show school spirit and to appreciate our artistic programs. Theater is something that often goes overlooked, so coming to support a show really means a lot to our theater community. Theatre is one of the best communities I’ve joined at EFHS. I asked Mrs. Shultz a question about what her favorite shows have been at EFHS and she said “How To Get Away With A Murder Mystery” and “I Never Saw Another Butterfly.” For "How To Get Away With A Murder Mystery", she explained that it's one of her favorites because “It kept trying to do everything wrong but it ended up going just right.” For “I Never Saw Another Butterfly” she said, “It taught and educated its audience. It also reached and touched students in a very personal way.” Personally, it's one of the most meaningful, emotional shows our school has ever put on, and we’ve put on some amazing shows. I would say my personal favorite is the musical we did called “Help, I’m trapped in a musical!” It was so much fun and really brought everyone together in a very profound way. It was the most united we’ve ever been. Please come see our newest show and maybe it will be your favorite. It will be so unique and intriguing to watch, so get your tickets by heading to the P.A.C. and prepare for the show that will kick off our theater year. Tickets are $5 for students and $6 for adults, so I hope to see you there!