The 2016-2017 fall show for theatre takes on a touchy subject, showcasing the acting ability throughout the club.

Theatre’s fall performance will showcase different social perspectives which speak to the upcoming election in November. In contrast to last fall’s show, The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940, a light and happy comedy, Scenes From American Life is heavy and has a very serious theme. The play follows the New England Protestants and their social power decline over the span of many decades, with glimpses of the future if the decline were to continue. The directors, Mr. Tyler McWhorter and Mrs. Kevin Vernon, and the students feel speaking on the situation is a big priority this year.

“The play isn’t necessarily political in terms of party affiliation, but it certainly addresses major social issues that we see,” McWhorter explained. “Of the scripts we read it just really felt like even though it takes place in the past it addresses issues we are still dealing with today. The goal is some good conversation.”  

Premiering November 4, the weekend before election day, November 8, is used to ultimately give the audience something to talk about.

“We open the weekend before election day and Vernon said she wanted to do something to make a statement. Obviously this this election is pretty crazy and she wanted something to show this is what we think and this is what is important in life,” Megan Avery junior, the group’s secretary explained.

The show’s topic was picked to represent the possibilities of today’s future,showing that the decisions today won’t just affect the now but the future. To illustrate the different opinions and situation of social power, the production will have one of the biggest cast of 28 people. Some doubling up roles to cover the 100 plus speaking roles.

Scene shop chairperson, Natalie Stapleton junior describes the show in fewest words possible, “It shows different perspectives of how people dealt with different wars throughout American history.”

“There are over a hundred speaking roles and as we were casting it and started to double up those roles there were a lot of parts that seemed like a great way include more people that hadn’t been able to be in the past few shows,” McWhorter explained.

The show is mainly student based ran with the directors giving background information and guidelines to their initial ideas. However, the students have room to let their creativity run free.

Junior Megan Avery speaks her opinion on the theatre community. “There’s always times where we can talk with Vernon and Mr. McWhorter about the scenes and get their idea but those ideas can change very easily. It’s like a collaborative project to make the show look how we want it to. We all can get mad at each other like a family but at the end of the day we all love and look out for each other and work towards a common goal.”

Theatre earns their money from all the tickets that will be sold at the door the night/day of the show for $3-$5. Starting at 7 p.m.

“The past few years we have gotten near to selling out, so the Sunday matinees seemed like a good idea to get to that goal,” said McWhorter.

Ultimately theatre just wants to have a great show and enjoy the passing moment.

Director McWhorter explains the emotinal impact of  theatre, “It’s rewarding because I think it rewards the people involved their creating something that can’t be recreated and rewarding for the audience because hopefully they will feel something that they didn’t know they would feel.”