Based on a true story, George Brant’s heartbreaking drama relates the fate of Mary, an elephant sentenced to death by hanging for the murder of one of her handlers. The event unfolds with brief, impactful monologues that reflect the various perspectives of Erwin’s unforgiving community. Through the eyes of each character, the audience is granted a complete vision of the town and tragedy surrounding the elephant’s death.

After a slightly timid beginning, Francis Howell’s cast demonstrated their incredible talent by conquering the challenges presented by such a unique script. Since there is so little direct character interaction, each actor and actress had to maintain the same rhythm as their peers in order to prevent an isolated or disconnected feeling from overpowering the fact that each monologue was part of the whole story. A few notable examples of success were Mikayla Sherfy (Muddy Townsperson), Katie Angeli (Clown), and Aurielle Macchi (Tour Manager). These actresses did an exceptional job of going above and beyond with their delivery, adding another dimension to their already complex lines and further enhancing the emotional aspect of the performance. Sherfy’s intense mood contrasted well with the vivacious yet thoughtful humor of Angeli and sharp yet sensitive remarks of Macchi. Additionally, Justin Miller (Steam Shovel Operator) gave a brief, yet particularly effective speech that demanded a few moments of appreciation.

As a whole, the cast indicated a remarkable level of maturity with their performance. Each role was embraced and developed thoroughly, a factor that increased the play’s believability and impact. Also reflecting the school’s talent was its students’ impressive ability to remain in character throughout the entire show. When an individual took center stage, the remaining cast continued to respond and interact with their environment as their characters would. Attention to details such as these enhanced the quality of the performance and allowed it to have a greater emotional impact.

The show’s technical aspects reflected careful thought and preparation on the part of the various crews. The set’s simplicity was effective, enabling the performers to command the stage rather than be overpowered by it. Lighting and sound were well done, with minor, negligible errors. The music that accompanied some scenes was, at times, distracting, but otherwise well-paced and appropriate, establishing a mood in otherwise slow moments. Altogether, the technical portion of the show allowed it to flow as smoothly as it did.

Witnessing the product of such a talented cast and crew made it difficult to remain dry-eyed during the play’s intense climax and conclusion as each character responded to and questioned Mary’s tragic death. Francis Howell’s production of Elephant’s Graveyard was an emotional, impactful, and memorable performance.

by Meghan Edwards of Holt High School

The Comedy of Errors is a story of two sets of identical twins which at a young age are separated in a devastating ship wreck. Antipholus of Syracuse and his servant, Dromio of Syracuse, travel to Ephesus, which happens to be the home of their long-lost twin brothers, Antipholus of Ephesus, and his servant, Dromio of Ephesus. The interactions of the various Dromios and Antipholuses with the various townspeople in Ephesus lead to mistaken identities, love triangles, and multifarious minor crimes. This eventually culminates in the face-to-face encounter of the twins and the ensuing resolution one expects in any self-respecting Shakespearean comedy.

Francis Howell with the help of student director Danielle Crosno have achieved something remarkable in their presentation of this play. The stage interactions of each character are genuine, and the addition of a narrator and incorporation of particular props created some of the most hysterical scenes of the evening while coincidentally clarifying confusing aspects of the play to the audience. At times, actors would forget to project their lines out away from the stage, but for the most part this was a non-issue. In spite of this minor problem, what truly made this play special was the energy of the cast. Starting in Act One and finishing with a bow, each and every member of the cast demonstrated terrific energy that excited the audience and moved the show along at a rapid clip. The result was a production that made the audience forget themselves as they became completely invested in each character.

Dromio of Syracuse and Dromio of Ephesus were brought to life by Katie Angeli and Tina Donnelly. Antipholus of Syracuse, played by Clayton Humburg, was exciting to watch with his interpretive stage gestures and facial expressions. Adriana, played by Jessie Basler, and Luciana, played by Laura Haug, also had praiseworthy performances. The Narrator, played by Cidney Woodson, provided a fantastic contrast in her modern English. She was consistent in her accent, when an accent was required, and completely devoted to her role.

The utilization of the stage was slightly disappointing: the vast majority of the play prior to intermission was performed on the right side of the stage, but in the final two acts the stage was more creatively utilized. The fountain in the center of the stage was interesting, and provided an excellent prop. The various minor props utilized by the actors, such as a whiteboard and a globe, were also stimulating and effective.

The Comedy of Errors as performed by Francis Howell High School’s Limelight Theater was a fun-filled extravaganza of hilarity and energy.

by Jon Baer of Mary Institute St. Louis Country Day School

The show, written by Bob Carlton, is based on the unlikely pairing of Shakespeare’s The Tempest, and the science fiction film Forbidden Planet. The musical’s characters resemble those of The Tempest, but are altered to blend into the galactic world of Forbidden Planet. The musical begins with a meteor shower that sends the ship of Captain Tempest to the planet, D’lllyria. Here, Doctor Prospero and his lovely daughter, Miranda, are introduced. Throughout the story, there are many complications regarding who Miranda should love, as well as the twisted past of Dr. Prospero and his wife, Gloria. With numerous modern songs worked into the script, the story unfolds into a captivating piece.

This musical could not have been understood easily without the great characterization that the cast applied. Throughout the performance, Captain Tempest played by Nic Branson, and Ariel played by Aurielle Macchi, remained in character and were a joy to watch. Another strong performance was the Navigational Officer, played by Katie Angeli, who’s punctual tone remained consistent and clear. Miranda, played by the beautiful Ashley Unland, also brought life to her character with her sweet tone and daintiness. Laughs filled the auditorium when the solo male in the chorus, Danny Junkel, danced his way on stage. His enthusiasm was refreshing. Overall, the cast was effective in portraying their characters and provided the audience with insight into Carlton’s original intentions for the show.

In addition to the effective cast, the Limelight Theater exceeded expectations in its technical elements. Onstage projection screens gave the audience better understanding of events occurring with video and images. Sound effects such as explosions and crashes also added to the audience’s experience. The light, sound, and special effect crews executed everything smoothly and efficiently. The live band was a nice addition that was consistent throughout the performance.

Although the cast performed well and the technical aspects were superior, there were minor flaws that distracted from the enjoyable show. Occasionally lines could not be clearly heard causing the plot to become foggy. Enthusiastic dancing was also lacking, except for the last song, “Monster Mash,” in which the cast came to life. Also, the characters were often hidden behind podiums in the spaceship and because of this, were slightly disconnected from the audience and even other characters on stage. This minor wrinkle, although distracting, did not affect the great quality of Francis Howell’s performance.

The fantasy combination of Shakespeare and science fiction provided a fun departure from routine life. Kudos to the cast and crew of Return to the Forbidden Planet for producing an enjoyable evening of quality entertainment.

by Allie Sanderson of Holt High School

Over the weekend, Francis Howell High School put on a production of Distracted. It’s a comedic tragedy told from the point of view of a mother, who deals with multiple opinions on how to raise her child and several medications when learning her child has ADD/ADHD. It seems to the mother that everyone has an opinion on how to raise her child. When a small problem like an anxious kid becomes a full-blown tragedy that can tear a family apart, the mother must make her own decision on what’s best for her child, and learning that just being there when she’s needed most, is more important than any other drug. Other things talked about in Distracted involve very controversial issues such as cutting, divorce, and intimacy.

The set was perfect for the show. Going with the “distracting” themed involved a different vibrant color on each wall, multi-colored steps, and multiple settings in one area. This made for a convenience when transitioning to different settings, among which included a kitchen, doctor’s office, therapist office, a bed room, and even an outdoor intersection.

The technical aspect was beyond impressive for a high school production, using three projection screens for several different things. Including the televisions, which would play Spongebob clips and athletic games, all still going with the “distracting” theme, making you feel like you would actually get distracted at times. They were also used for different “paintings” to indicate a different doctor’s office, web pages, and even showed an instant messaging conversation between two people as it happened, all adding on an entirely new concept to realism in the theatre.

One character standing out was the father (Nic Branson). Branson’s character was the most realistic, making audience members believe at times he certainly was a father, as opposed to a high school student. The character of Vera (Katie Angeli) got several laughs from her antics as a typical mother with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. The main character, the mother (Ashely Unland) was also a sight to see. Unland had an exceptionally big load of lines to memorize, with uncountable monologues and intense emotions. If Unland ever messed up, nobody would have been able to point it out.

Overall, the show was something to see. The twist and turns in the plot line kept you wondering how it will all end, yet it was all made into a story keeping up with recent times within the 21st Century. This was not a show you wanted to miss.

by Jessica Olsen of Francis Howell North