Update 11-17-20
Due to new attendance restrictions from Gov. Holcomb, the show featured below, which was planned for December 10-11-12, 2020, has been rescheduled for February 10, 11 and 13, 2021.
By Shayla Crow
When you think about a play, you think of a crowded theatre but it’s not loud because the show is going on. Sometimes you’ll hear the occasional baby crying, a cough or a sneeze, and perhaps even a squeaky shoe.
You can go and buy your ticket at the door, but one day you have to buy your ticket before the show dates, just like they’re doing this year.
You may see a kiss scene in the play or some people talking in groups, but they might not be able to do so this time.
“They’re just little things, things you take for granted that I have to rethink,” said Mrs. Dawn Raleigh, the theatre teacher.
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, they have to open the seating up more this year. They are limited to 250 guests, which includes show workers.
Around 100 people usually watch the show each night, but with presales some of the performers are a bit worried.
“I just think we are going to have less of a turnout,” said senior Emily Himes, the assistant director.
Lillian Jones, a junior, is concerned about the kiss scene, a scene that is usually the sweetest.
Many of our performers may be worried about forgetting their lines, but only one mentioned it. That was a performer who is acting for the first time in a Delta High School show, Monica Langdon, a junior.
Monica has been cast in a Fools play before, but that was in middle school so she has forgotten those lines.
Hopefully with her already having a role in this play it will be easier for her to memorize her lines.
Mrs. Raleigh is concerned about Covid-19 shutting down the school or some students for an extended period of time. She has already put in a few extras in case a student gets quarantined close to the start of the show.
Rehearsals for this performance will look the same as in the past. The rehearsals will be from 6 to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday. There will not be rehearsals on Friday or Sunday unless they truly need another rehearsal. On Saturdays, they usually build the set.
The play this year is exciting, in multiple ways. The performers are excited to do an upbeat show since it has been a dramatic and depressing year for almost everyone.
Fools is about a school teacher who moves to a small village to teach a young child. The town is said to be a place where everyone is foolish.
Mrs. Raleigh is excited to see the performers’ personalities come out more and more and even to see their growth. They will all see more of their personalities because as Mrs. Raleigh says, “I mean we’re a huge family; we’re a dysfunctional family sometimes and completely content and happy family sometimes.”
The Delta Troupers lost some of their family members last year due to graduating, but they have new people stepping in this year for those they lost.
In the plays put on by Delta Troupers a senior is usually cast as the lead. This year Emily Himes is the lead.
Himes acts as Leona Tolchinshky and has around 200 to 300 lines, which is a lot of memorizing but Himes can do it.
Jones has a bit of trouble with memorizing her lines so she has friends and siblings run lines with her outside of school and rehearsal.
Jones said she will also read over her lines multiple times as will many performers so they do not forget their lines.
Raleigh fears that the actors might go through the stress of memorizing their lines for nothing, though. Especially since she has already had to make multiple changes.
For example, usually the first play is before Thanksgiving, but this year it is in the second week of December. There will be shows on Dec. 10, 11 and 12.
They are unsure if they will have to wear masks during the show so Raleigh is having the students rehearse with them on.
There is one kiss scene in the show that Raleigh has to figure out how to do. Usually directors do not have to worry about that since they just get it over with and then the scene is done.
Covid-19 has also made the school make multiple changes. The choir has to be in the auditorium during the school day now due to spacing so Raleigh has decided to make a minimalistic set so they do not take up all the space that the choir needs.
There are 10 cast members along with four understudies, Sabrina Cheek, Josh Hearn, Eden Terry, and Grayson Zgunda.
The cast members are:
Emily Himes as Leona Tolchinshky
Mary Groover as Snetsky
Sophie Campbell as Magistrate
Heath Sprague as Slovitch
Monica Langdon as Mishkin
Amber Langdon as Yenchna
Brett Shearer as Dr. Zubritsky
Sara Cardemon as Lenya Zubritsky
Connor Bowen as Doug Zubritsky
Lily Jones as Countess Georgia Yousekevitch
