The bright lights turn on; the music begins to play; the curtains open; and the first words are said to a live audience. 

After two years of zero live performances, the theatre department, led by Theatre Arts Director Elizabeth DeMarco,  put on a performance of Clue, and the community didn’t miss a beat when it came to attending. The largest audience had 190 people in it. During the 2020-21 school year the theatre department performed The Invisible Man as an audio only radio play and You’re a Good Man, a pre-recorded musical about Charlie Brown. 

Radio plays and pre-recorded musicals allowed students a respite from isolated lives. “I enjoyed being with people again,” said Luis Silva, (11) who understudied Colonel Mustard. “For Charlie Brown we had to film in the school. We were safe wearing masks, but it was nice having human conversation.”

Radio plays and pre-recorded musicals don’t help build the community that live performances provide. “I missed the camaraderie,” said McKenna Cobb (9) who played Miss Scarlet. “To be honest, the hanging out in the dressing rooms and rehearsals was more fun than the hour and a half when we performed the actual show.”

The art of making a character come alive through makeup was another thing that returned for the live performance. “It was really nice to work on a set,” said crew member Alice Rojas-Perez (9). “Actors didn’t really have their own style but for some I made the eyeliner thicker to show more depth. It was nice to see that a little eyeliner and mascara made some difference.” 

Clue takes place in a mansion with many rooms, one for which has a large hanging chandelier. “We had a lot of trouble figuring out how to place the chandelier, like where it should go and exactly how to install it,” said Co-Head Tech and Running Crew Chief Liam Patterson (12). “What we heard from audiences, there was a great deal of unintended anxiety watching the big crystal death cage swing around.”

Though it was a live show, COVID protocols were still very much in effect. Actors had to wear masks, and they weren’t upset about it. “I wouldn’t change anything. The theatre should be a refuge for those who might not have support otherwise,” said Paris Devlin (12), who played Ms.White. “We had people in our cast who have immunocompromised family members at home, and they deserve to feel comfortable and safe working within our theatre community.”