Theater students file into the Legacy Performing Arts Center and wait for warm-ups to begin. While they wait, some read their scripts while others talk and sit around the edge of the stage. The directors walk in and instruct the students on what to set up and who will lead stretches for the day.
On March 2, The Children’s Hour, this year’s One Act Play, will have their public performance at 3:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. in the Legacy Performing Arts Center. Theater Director Mr. Jeremy Ferman chose this show because of the time period it is set in and because of the relevancy.
“I knew I had a lot of strong women this year, and it is a strong female show,” Mr. Ferman said. “There is only one male role, and it has been on my list to do for a while because it has a strong script. It was written in 1938, so the themes in it are still relevant today.”
In The Children’s Hour, two women, Ms. Dobie and Ms. Wright, start an all-girls school. One of their students, Mary Tilford, is known for lying about anything at any time. As the story progresses, Mary became mad for getting caught lying and then tells her grandmother a rumor about the two teachers. The rumor leaks out and chaos ensues. The Children’s Hour demonstrates how a lie can ruin lives. Senior Clara Griepp plays Ms. Dobie.
“I really like this play, the characters in it are all really complex,” Griepp said. “Whether it is Mrs. Tilford or the grandmother of the little girl, there is a reason behind her actions and doing the things she does that ends up making things fall apart. There has to be backing from that type of thing. It is a really good play, and it is insane that it was written in the 1930s because it has such a raunchy subject.”
The one-act competition has strict rules and limits on schools’ rehearsals. Each rehearsal has an allotted eight hours a week, so the cast rehearses Monday through Thursday until 5:15 p.m. In order remain qualified, each production has to run under 40 minutes and cannot go over seven minutes before and after the play for the setup and take down their set. The Children’s Hour, originally a two-and-a-half-hour play, had to be cut with only the most important parts in it, allowing it to be under 40 minutes.
”It is an educational opportunity because after all the shows are said and done, then judges then talk to you for 10 or 15 minutes telling you what they enjoyed about your show and what you can do to improve,” Mr. Ferman said.
On March 7, Legacy will participate in the district competition at Lake Ridge High School. Eight schools participate, only three will advance to the bi-district competition.
“This show specifically is a little more dramatic and has some of our best actors on stage doing the best work they can do because it is for competition,” Mr. Ferman said. “It is more focused because it is only 40 minutes.”
