Cracking the Case of Comedy: Junior School Players Shine in “The Alibis”

Laughter and suspense go hand in hand in “The Alibis” performed by the Junior School Players. Since the return from Spring break, Director Hope Hartup and the Junior School cast have been working hard to perfect their production. On Friday, May 10, they made their debut at the Woodbridge Club, followed by another performance on Saturday, May 11. 

Director Hope Hartup originally chose “The Alibis” because she “was looking for a script that would provide performance opportunities for a large number of Junior Schoolers.” Additionally, she adds that “by doing a collection of one-acts, students only needed to come to rehearsal for their particular one act which, hopefully, meant that the commitment to do the show would not be overly taxing for the actors.” This approach made sure that the performers were not overwhelmed. 

As expected though, every production comes with challenges. For this particular production, as Hartup puts it, “it was [transferring] what has been rehearsed on campus [...] to our performance space at the Woodbridge Club.” Each actor also faced hurdles unique to their differing roles. Julian Klaus ’29 who played Sparky Randall, believed that “the most challenging [part, was] learning where to move on set and [the] cues for each line.” For Emily Galvani-Townsend ’29 who played the character “Photographer,” the most difficult part to grasp, “was being able to listen to people’s advice and [improving her] acting [using their tips].”

Despite these obstacles, the actors had a wonderful time on stage. Performer Austin Madden ’29 highlights that “the most rewarding part of [the play] was when [they] ran through the entire scene without stopping, because it made [him] feel like [he] could really get into the idea of [his] character.” Ally Reichart ’29 who portrayed the detective, also had a great time, especially at the Woodbridge Club because “the first rehearsal [there was] the first time [they] had all the props, lights, sound cues, and set pieces” which made performing more realistic and exciting! Actor Ethan Studley ’29 echoes Reichart’s comment. He particularly loved “acting out the scenes with the props” which for him, and many others, was the highlight of the rehearsals. Similarly, Greta Lee ’28, who played Davina Arlington, also liked using the “funny props, like a giant pencil, fish, a sled, and a divine feather quill.” She also enjoyed being able to express herself, because it is a big part of acting. Amaya Flores-Montero ’29 who played Bonnie and was also in the scene, “Mill Noir” as a backup dancer, expressed that she really loved “creating the dance for Mill Noir. It was nice to have so much creative freedom.” 

Learning how to become a better actor or actress was a very rewarding experience for both Galvani-Townsend and Lee. Galvani-Townsend says, “my personal favorite part about the rehearsals [was] trying out different character traits, voices, and lines to find ones that worked. I especially liked the first couple rehearsals when the scenes were still new to me and I enjoyed seeing it play out.” For her, the sense of camaraderie and community within the cast was another fantastic part of the production. She mentions that being “able to become part of a final product [of a play] which people can enjoy” was incredibly rewarding. “[Her] experience with the play was even better than [she] expected and [she] hope[s] to do it again next year.” Lee adds, “It’s super fun to play with my character and experiment with how I can use different parts of my voice, my body and the stage, which is something I really love about theater.” 

As the curtains close on “The Alibis”, Director Hope Hartup commends the commitment and enthusiasm of the young actors. She says that the actors and actresses “participating in the show have been awesome to work with!” As the final bows are taken and the stage empties, the Junior School Players can surely agree that being in this play was, as Lee remarks “a blast!”