‘All the world’s a stage’

Elizabeth Gehling, Associate Editor|January 21, 2018

Luke Heying, ’21, delivers one of many monologues as the narrator of the play, ‘All I Really Need to Know I Learned by Being in a Bad Play.’

The audience lights dim, curtains are pulled open and a hush falls over the crowd.  The scene is set, and the show begins.

Monica Ripley, ’20, provides the narration for the two main characters in the play, Boise, Idaho.

Wahlert’s latest installation of an Evening of Theater ended its three-performance run Saturday night.  The plays, Boise, Idaho; All I Really Need to Know I Learned By Being in a Bad Play and Appropriate Audience Behavior, were all one-acts chosen by the student directors.

“We have two great classes of freshmen and sophomores this year.  They have fantastic talent, and we have the capability to put on really great performances,” said Jonathan Hill, ‘21.  “I would definitely do this again. Theater is something I’ve been involved in since I was little, and I’ve always enjoyed it.  It gets better and better as I keep getting older.”

These three plays were directed by the seniors and junior on the Thespian Board and performed by freshmen and sophomores.  The directors were paired as such: Jennifer Carpenter and Abby Burns, ‘18; Eric Leigh and Sophia Shubatt, ‘18; and Owen Borelli, ‘18, and Gwyneth McSperrin, ‘19.

Nick Nachtman, ’20, slurps his drink as he plays an audience member watching the play, Hamlet.

“When directing kids, remember that kids will laugh when scenes are funny.  I remember one time we had a scene that was really funny, and the kids kept breaking character during it. Owen and I sat them down and ran the scene 40 times.  We sprayed them with water every time they laughed,” said Gwyneth McSperrin, ‘19.  “So, if you have a scene that’s difficult for the kids, just a little bit of water and some perseverance will help you make it through.”

For some, however, this set of one-acts is the last play that they will be a part of at Wahlert, the final bow before curtains close.

“There are a lot of memories here, and I’m not sure if I’m going to do theater anymore after this, so this play might be my last,” said Jayne Munshower, ‘18.  “This might be it; that’s kind of scary.  It’s like I’m stepping away from something that’s a part of me, and, at the same time, it’s relieving.  I want to move forward as a person, and it’s important to let stuff go.  At the same time, it’s so scary to move away from what’s comforting into the unknown.”

This Evening of Theater brings the Wahlert Theater Department’s string of plays for the year to an end and the unknown awaits.  As the audience lights slowly turn back on, the performers take one last bow.