Warsaw Community HS Goes Greek For Fall Play Dec. 4-6
November 18, 2020 at 11:46 p.m.
By David [email protected]
The Warsaw Community High School Drama Department hopes to be able to present its fall play, “The Greek Mythology Olympiaganza” by Don Zolidis, to provide some comic relief, but as safely as possible.
The show has been moved to Dec. 4 and 5 at 7:30 p.m. and Dec. 6 at 2:30 p.m. Tickets are limited and are $8 for students and senior citizens and $12 for adults.
On the pandemic restrictions, drama teacher and director Dana McAfee said, “We’re trying to get what Wagon Wheel got, which was 20% (seating). So, probably won’t sell more than 200 tickets per show.”
For plays, she said they usually don’t sell more than 200 per show and “Olympiaganza” is not a musical. The musical was switched to the spring.
“They can buy tickets. If they already bought tickets, they’re honored that weekend. They can definitely use those tickets,” she said.
The show was originally scheduled for this weekend, Nov. 20-22, but had to be rescheduled due to many students being out for quarantine. McAfee advised people coming to the show to continue to watch for updates should any changes be required.
“I would say, still buy tickets ahead of time just to help with the lines because we still have to do the 6-feet distancing and the lines will be out the door if they don’t buy tickets ahead of time,” McAfee said.
The 58-member cast includes students from WCHS and the middle schools.
“We are using different rooms down here to separate and have them where they all can spread out, so we’re using some of the bigger rooms down here,” she said. “Probably, we would like people in the audience to wear their masks. ... Just the normal wear them until you sit and if you move around, put them on.”
Students have been rehearsing with masks on the entire time. In scenes where McAfee couldn’t separate them by 6 feet, students will wear their masks in the play.
“I have really been trying to give the kids something normal to look forward to, as normal as it can be, with still keeping them as safe as I can,” she said. “I’ve trying to give everybody the most possible way to perform. That’s not saying that we come back after Thanksgiving and it happens again, but at least I’m trying to give everybody a chance to perform.”
She said “Olympiaganza” is a really funny show.
“It takes a lot of the really popular Greek myths that people have heard and updated them a little bit. It’s got Hercules and Pandora and Achilles and the Iliad. There’s just tons of them. It moves along pretty quick,” McAfee said.
The two narrators – Emma Spencer and Jordan Norris – are the leads.
“Between the two of them, they never leave the stage. So, one might leave for a little while and come back on, but not both of them at the same time,” McAfee said.
The way the show is put together, many people may not have seen before, she said. “It’s just very funny and the narrators just keep each story going. Really, most of the time, there are very few people on stage at one time until those two or three scenes, like the Iliad scene. That’s the scene that I’m using all the middle school kids in,” she said.
The show may get a little campy in some parts, but she said it’s tongue-in-cheek and fun and there are references to modern things that would not have existed back then.
As for how the theater students are handling the masking, social distancing and other rules, McAfee said, “I always tell people I dare you to try to keep performing arts kids away from each other. They love to be together. It’s a family to them and this is really a family, so it’s hard to keep them apart. They understand the importance because I tell them all the time that if you want to do stuff like this, you’ve got to do it: You’ve got to wear the mask.”
She said the masks aren’t the issue as students wear them without grumbling. It’s the wanting to be around each other and McAfee has to remind them to keep 6 feet apart. Of course, with the masks on, the students have to remember to be louder and project more.
“They’re having fun. It’s really funny so they’re having a really good time,” McAfee said.
Cast members (in order of appearance) are: Emma Spencer as narrator 1; Jordan Norris, narrator 2; Theo Cooke as Cronos, Hercules and Icarus; Ethan Spencer as Uranus, Linus and Hades; Davin Broadhurst as Zeus, king and Paris; Elena Crawford as Rhea and Eurydice; Isa Silva as therapist and woman; Madeline Whitaker as mother; Trevor Ott as father, Bob and Apollo; Michael Witmer as child and Euphemus; Mel DeBoest as Titan and Charon; Edward Robison as Prometheus and Orpheus; Joel Montoya as man and Menelaus; Alyssa Pena as Pandora and child 2; Megan Shaffer as woman and Helen; Cayla Harris as Hermes and Athena; Tess Mangun as Leda and cheerleader; Olivia Gabrich as Alcmene; Cate Harris as Joey and fury; Jessica Pogue as Hera; Luke Henn as boss and Achilles; Taylie Heady as news anchor and Tricia; Cami Brown as guidance counselor and Marsyas; David Howard as Jason, Daedalus and Hector; Alyssa Norris as Castor; Aubrey Harp as police officer and Pollux; Josie Miller as Atalanta and actor 1; Emma Ferguson as harpies, sirens, women and Medea; Jadyn McLeod as child 1 and actor 2; Natalie Oler as girl and Sue; Layla Barker, Karissa Brath, Karina Mendoza and Lizeth Ramirez as furies; Abbey Jacobs as emcee; Elle Brouwer as Aphrodite; Violet Watson as zombie; Saphrin Boschet as Trojan 1; Macy Bonifield as Trojan 2; Maria Aguilar, Mariana Castro, Adria Jordan, Megan Kuhaneck, Malori McDaniels, Gavin McPeak, Simone Tong and Chayla Wuchter as Trojans; Bianca Jordan as Greek 1; Kya Howard as Greek 2; and Finn Brander, Natalie Davis, Helen Delgadillo, Emilia Samaranayake, Claire Temple, Holly Ann Williamson, Anson Witmer and Jessica Xique as Greeks.
The Warsaw Community High School Drama Department hopes to be able to present its fall play, “The Greek Mythology Olympiaganza” by Don Zolidis, to provide some comic relief, but as safely as possible.
The show has been moved to Dec. 4 and 5 at 7:30 p.m. and Dec. 6 at 2:30 p.m. Tickets are limited and are $8 for students and senior citizens and $12 for adults.
On the pandemic restrictions, drama teacher and director Dana McAfee said, “We’re trying to get what Wagon Wheel got, which was 20% (seating). So, probably won’t sell more than 200 tickets per show.”
For plays, she said they usually don’t sell more than 200 per show and “Olympiaganza” is not a musical. The musical was switched to the spring.
“They can buy tickets. If they already bought tickets, they’re honored that weekend. They can definitely use those tickets,” she said.
The show was originally scheduled for this weekend, Nov. 20-22, but had to be rescheduled due to many students being out for quarantine. McAfee advised people coming to the show to continue to watch for updates should any changes be required.
“I would say, still buy tickets ahead of time just to help with the lines because we still have to do the 6-feet distancing and the lines will be out the door if they don’t buy tickets ahead of time,” McAfee said.
The 58-member cast includes students from WCHS and the middle schools.
“We are using different rooms down here to separate and have them where they all can spread out, so we’re using some of the bigger rooms down here,” she said. “Probably, we would like people in the audience to wear their masks. ... Just the normal wear them until you sit and if you move around, put them on.”
Students have been rehearsing with masks on the entire time. In scenes where McAfee couldn’t separate them by 6 feet, students will wear their masks in the play.
“I have really been trying to give the kids something normal to look forward to, as normal as it can be, with still keeping them as safe as I can,” she said. “I’ve trying to give everybody the most possible way to perform. That’s not saying that we come back after Thanksgiving and it happens again, but at least I’m trying to give everybody a chance to perform.”
She said “Olympiaganza” is a really funny show.
“It takes a lot of the really popular Greek myths that people have heard and updated them a little bit. It’s got Hercules and Pandora and Achilles and the Iliad. There’s just tons of them. It moves along pretty quick,” McAfee said.
The two narrators – Emma Spencer and Jordan Norris – are the leads.
“Between the two of them, they never leave the stage. So, one might leave for a little while and come back on, but not both of them at the same time,” McAfee said.
The way the show is put together, many people may not have seen before, she said. “It’s just very funny and the narrators just keep each story going. Really, most of the time, there are very few people on stage at one time until those two or three scenes, like the Iliad scene. That’s the scene that I’m using all the middle school kids in,” she said.
The show may get a little campy in some parts, but she said it’s tongue-in-cheek and fun and there are references to modern things that would not have existed back then.
As for how the theater students are handling the masking, social distancing and other rules, McAfee said, “I always tell people I dare you to try to keep performing arts kids away from each other. They love to be together. It’s a family to them and this is really a family, so it’s hard to keep them apart. They understand the importance because I tell them all the time that if you want to do stuff like this, you’ve got to do it: You’ve got to wear the mask.”
She said the masks aren’t the issue as students wear them without grumbling. It’s the wanting to be around each other and McAfee has to remind them to keep 6 feet apart. Of course, with the masks on, the students have to remember to be louder and project more.
“They’re having fun. It’s really funny so they’re having a really good time,” McAfee said.
Cast members (in order of appearance) are: Emma Spencer as narrator 1; Jordan Norris, narrator 2; Theo Cooke as Cronos, Hercules and Icarus; Ethan Spencer as Uranus, Linus and Hades; Davin Broadhurst as Zeus, king and Paris; Elena Crawford as Rhea and Eurydice; Isa Silva as therapist and woman; Madeline Whitaker as mother; Trevor Ott as father, Bob and Apollo; Michael Witmer as child and Euphemus; Mel DeBoest as Titan and Charon; Edward Robison as Prometheus and Orpheus; Joel Montoya as man and Menelaus; Alyssa Pena as Pandora and child 2; Megan Shaffer as woman and Helen; Cayla Harris as Hermes and Athena; Tess Mangun as Leda and cheerleader; Olivia Gabrich as Alcmene; Cate Harris as Joey and fury; Jessica Pogue as Hera; Luke Henn as boss and Achilles; Taylie Heady as news anchor and Tricia; Cami Brown as guidance counselor and Marsyas; David Howard as Jason, Daedalus and Hector; Alyssa Norris as Castor; Aubrey Harp as police officer and Pollux; Josie Miller as Atalanta and actor 1; Emma Ferguson as harpies, sirens, women and Medea; Jadyn McLeod as child 1 and actor 2; Natalie Oler as girl and Sue; Layla Barker, Karissa Brath, Karina Mendoza and Lizeth Ramirez as furies; Abbey Jacobs as emcee; Elle Brouwer as Aphrodite; Violet Watson as zombie; Saphrin Boschet as Trojan 1; Macy Bonifield as Trojan 2; Maria Aguilar, Mariana Castro, Adria Jordan, Megan Kuhaneck, Malori McDaniels, Gavin McPeak, Simone Tong and Chayla Wuchter as Trojans; Bianca Jordan as Greek 1; Kya Howard as Greek 2; and Finn Brander, Natalie Davis, Helen Delgadillo, Emilia Samaranayake, Claire Temple, Holly Ann Williamson, Anson Witmer and Jessica Xique as Greeks.
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