Hiding in the Open – Fall Dinner Theatre

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Yearbook Staff

Three of the play members practicing

Sayler Beerwinkle, Editor

The Theatre Program is hosting a fall dinner theatre on November 13 to present their show to community guests as well as raise money for their organizations. Tickets can be found at  https://www.onthestage.tickets/show/springlake-earth-high-school-theatre/hiding-in-the-open-33719 and the link will close on Thursday at4PM.

The play consists of seniors Katy Jones, Joshua Samaron, and Jesse Gill, juniors Gabi Garcia and Alex Alvarez, sophomores Lynnsey Mahler, Xavyer Mosqueda, Emma Samaron, and freshmen, Brailiegh Goe, Abby Perez, and Nehemiah Castillo. Teachers Cassi Furr and Marlana Tanaro are the theatre sponsors. 

The dinner is at 5:00, followed by the play at 6:00. There will also be a silent auction during the dinner with a wide-variety of items ranging from baked goods and gift baskets to hand-crafted creations. Each silent auction item presented was donated by parents and teachers.

“The fall show is a fundraiser for us,” Furr said. “One Act is kind of expensive when you add in festivals, purchasing scripts and costume pieces, so it is a fundraiser so that we can afford to have the things we need to compete well in the spring.”

They will be performing a World War II play where two Jewish girls are hiding in Germany.

“I’m feeling good about it, but I am also a little nervous about it,” Jones proclaimed. “I have the lead role and I have a lot of lines, so I hope I will be able to remember them all and everyone else will remember theirs too.” 

Furr sees this play as a way for those who are new to the program to gain experience before the UIL contest.

“It is also excellent practice for the kids,” Furr said. “Especially when you look at my group this year, I have a lot of inexperienced kids that have never done theatre before so this gives them a chance to be on stage, in front of a friendly audience before we get to contest in front of judges who are critiquing everything we do.”

I chose this play because I thought it would really push my students outside of their comfort zone and help them to grow.

— Director Cassi Furr

This year, the theatre group tried something new to help promote their event. Katy Jones and Lynnsey Mahler, who play the lead roles, created a promo video which can be viewed at this link: https://youtu.be/dXTyGA8ljb0

“I think it will help spread the word,” Jones said. “I hope a lot of people come out and support us.”

This play is more of a serious play, rather than a comedy.

“It has a great storyline,” Furr stated “I chose this play because I thought it would really push my students outside of their comfort zone and help them to grow in ways, by having to be different kinds of characters.”

With that being said Mosqueda has a different opinion on the show that was picked this year.

“It is more of a drama, rather than a comedy” Mosqueda said. “Which I would probably prefer, but it is still a pretty good show, and it’s easy to follow along.”

She also uses this play as a way to start planning for the One Act Play spring contest.

“It serves as our auditions for the spring,” Furr added. “Through this fall show, I see their work ethic and I see their skills, so I can know how to cast them for contest season.”

Furr talks about the amount of practice that that has been available.

“We’ve mostly just practiced in class because between band and sports there isn’t much time outside to practice,” Furr mentioned.  “But now that band is over, we will have more practices this week and we well also spend three to four hours doing rehearsal before we do the show.”

Mosqueda also mentions the amount of lines they each have to learn.

I expect them to make the audience feel something, and just do their best; I expect my kids to put on a show.

— Director Cassi Furr

“Our show is a three-act instead of just a one-act, so there is three times as many lines that everybody has to learn,” Mosqueda added. “I’m pretty sure Katy has about 500 lines to learn. I have maybe 100, if even that.”

Jones states that they are focusing on the spring contest and still have ways to improve before they have to compete at festivals and the district competition in March. 

“I think we are getting there, but we still have a few things to work on,” Jones said. “By the time it gets here, we should be good.”  

She also realizes the specific things to better before preforming in front of strict judges. 

“We definitely need to work on having our lines memorized by the specific deadline,” Jones mentioned. “We also have to work on being in character; meaning we don’t act like ourselves, we act like what we think our character would act like.” 

For the fall show, Furr has a few expectations to see from the cast and crew.

“I expect them to make the audience feel something, and just do their best,” Furr said. “I expect my kids to put on a show.”