Highland Drama Club Winter Production Is Friday.
The Highland Schools Drama Club’s winter presentation happens this weekend, and I spoke with some of the participants. First up, giving us the lowdown is:
“Eleanor White. Highland Drama Club presents “Ho Ho Ho – The Santa Claus Chronicles” by Pat Cook, produced by special arrangement with Pioneer Drama Service Denver, Colorado. It will be on December 8th at 7:00 pm in the Highland Public Schools Cafeteria.”
“So this play is about, it’s basically a TV show, and we’ll be going behind the scenes into the North Pole. And it will be an array of, like, different things, like the North Pole hotline with a drill sergeant. I’m the host so I’ll be leading everything and introducing everything of the TV show.”
Next:
“Anna Chambers. I play the role of Matilda, a British shopper, and I’m also kind of a little bit all over the place. I made the poster for outside. I do a lot of the costuming and I’ve worked a lot on the set.”
Anna told me shot got her part partially because she could do a British accent, so I asked for a demonstration.
“Hello all! I’d like to invite you to our Highland Drama Club “Ho Ho Ho – The Santa Claus Chronicles” by Pat Cook.”
The next person I spoke with is a stalwart of the drama club plays.
“Meckenzie Lambert. I’m playing as a reporter named Gladys Snowing, and an elf hotline operator named Fiona.”
The appeal of one of her parts is it has a lengthy monologue, and I asked if that was daunting to her.
“My monologue is five paragraphs, give or take, and I will be on stage doing that, basically by myself. I’m not that daunted by it, because I did the role of Snow Child last time and that was a lot on me to do, but I’m prepared to do this one, because it’s way less than the other parts I’ve done.”
Next:
Charlotte Richardson. I get to play Santa’s press secretary.”
This role felt close to Charlotte’s heart…
“Because I get to yell at people. The reporters, they’re interviewing me. They keep interrupting each other and answering dumb things. So eventually I get more irritated as it goes on. So I get to yell at them.”
Next:
“Aletheia Robertson – I play Mrs. Claus and I play one of the elves, Meanie.”
Aletheia and I share a disdain of Christmas, so I asked if doing a part in a Christmas play was a stretch for her.
“Not really, because I’m a pretty good actress – I can cry on command, so I would say I’m pretty good.”
Also…”Mrs. Claus gets to be like, young Mrs. Claus, sassy and stuff, and that role fits me sooooooo…”
A first time actress and her part is:
Marley Hindman – an elf named Miney.”
When I asked what made her want to be in the play…
“First of all, I’ve seen, like, plays here and I think they’re pretty fun. And then second of all, when there’s elves I’m like, I’m short, I’m tiny. I must be an elf… I gotta be an elf.”
The first actor I spoke with:
“James Mason. I am playing Einie the elf and the fourth reporter. I wanted to take more than one role, but which meant I had to get two that didn’t have very many lines. So I picked two that had a decent amount of lines but not too many.”
Next:
“Savannah Cabral. I first play reporter three, then Sarge, then Flo.”
She faces some special offstage challenges.
“I have four costume changes. I have to go from a dress to pants and a long sleeve shirt, to back to a dress, to back to a long sleeve shirt and pants. So this is going to be very interesting.”
The last participant I spoke with was a member of the production crew.
“Ashlyn Minnigh. I’m gonna help with, like, costume changes and I did the reindeer on the backgrounds and stuff.”
She spoke about why she chose this behind the scenes role.
“I like doing art. I am a artist, so I wanted to help doing backgrounds. And I like acting, but I also have stage fright, and this is my first play, so I didn’t want to, like, jump in.”
I can definitely relate.
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