Drama department prepares for opening night

Rain Northrop, Rachel Kramer and Mallory Eckhelmeyer work through a scene of ‘While the Lights Were Out’ during dress rehearsal Oct. 22. (photo by Cameron McCarty)

Darkness will fall Oct. 25-27 in the auditorium at 7 p.m. during the fall play ‘While the Lights Were Out’.

‘While the Lights Were Out’ is about Lord and Lady Wickenham, played by Matt Miller and Rain Northrop. They host a dinner party for friends in their mansion in the Bermuda Triangle. There is a big storm and the power goes out. When the electricity comes back on, Lord Wickenham is found strangled to death. There are two detectives on the case, Benjaamine Braddock, played by Brock Birkener, and Alma Threedle, who is played by Casie Sheppard.

“The audience might find it cheesy, but overall funny,” Birkener said.

Jeff Tandler, the drama teacher and the drama director, picks all the school plays. Tandler picked ‘While the Lights Were Out’ because Halloween is just around the corner and he thought it fit the Halloween theme. After Tandler picks the play he has to hold auditions, create a cast list from those auditions, then they have eight weeks of rehearsal and the show nights.

“People memorizing their lines is the toughest part of putting together this play,” Tandler said.

For this play that is described as both a horror and a comedy, the cast has practiced Monday-Thursday from 2:30-4:30. Even after practice some cast members practice their lines at home. According to Breanna Relleke, who plays housekeeper Nancy Stafford, she practiced the first two weeks and then remembered her lines but still goes over them every now and then.

“Learning lines has been the most stressful thing because it’s super important that we know this,” Relleke said.

According to Sheppard, she is very excited to perform along with Relleke and Birkener. Zoe Ridenhower, the assistant director, and Tandler both feel confident in the performance of the play.

“It’s very funny and the actors are talented,” Ridenhower said.

Tickets are on sale at all lunches for $5 and are also on sale the night of the performance at the door for $6.