By Jennifer Ersalesi
Teachers and students have found many creative ways to adapt to the changes that have been made this school year to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Mrs. Patricia Blanchard (Director) and Ms. Jennifer Gagis (Conceptual Director) have brought together a group of talented students to perform the play “Ten Ways to Survive Life in Quarantine”. Due to the circumstances, the organization of this production has been challenging and the directors and actors worked collaboratively to put this humorous, thoughtful play together. “Ten Ways to Survive Life in Quarantine” will be presented on Friday, November 20th at 7:30 pm on YouTube. Here is the link for the play. This is Rutherford spoke with Director, Mrs. Patricia Blanchard about this upcoming dramatic showcase.
TIR: How did you cast the show?
Patricia Blanchard: We had the students prepare a monologue and then held the auditions over Zoom. We had 21 students audition, and there were enough roles that everyone is able to be featured. To view the cast list for this show, click here.
TIR: How did students work on their scenes and vignettes while adhering to COVID-19 guidelines?
PB: The great thing about this show is that it was designed to be completely staged from home. The students perform individual monologues, which helps us adhere to COVID-19 guidelines. We gave the students two options for rehearsals- they could either sign up for a time on Zoom or meet with us right when school ended. We only met with one student at a time, so we were able to socially distance and wear masks.
TIR: Why was this particular play chosen?
PB: I thought the play was very fitting for the time, and I knew it was something that we could accomplish given the time constraints and the restrictions on in-person rehearsals.
TIR: How can people watch this play?
PB: The show will be broadcast on YouTube on Friday, 11/20 at 7:30 PM. The link will be available on Friday through the school's webpage.
TIR: What kind of challenges did you face in preparing for this show this year?
PB: The hardest part was not being able to plan. I had to pick a show that was flexible enough that we could produce it without having to worry about whether or not the students were in school or fully virtual. It was also hard not having the cast work together. One of the most important aspects of theatre is the community that it builds. Nevertheless, this show provided the students an opportunity to grow and develop as actors and showcase their skills, which ultimately is the most important thing.
TIR: What can audience members expect to see?
PB: Audience members can expect to be entertained. The show takes a light-hearted, humorous approach to quarantine, which is something everyone can now relate to!
See the flyer below:
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