Page 39 - 2005.Millard.North

..Jl_ The cast receives helpful
~ feedback from director Jan
Fi scher. Fi sher has been a
sc hool director for IS years,
and has been a valuable asset
to th e success of many pl ays.
ph oto by Sarah Gaughan

Kel!;ey Brown

"I loved when the audience laughed be- car!" Tajvar said. Small practical jokes during
cause I knew they were enjoying the perfor- or after rehearsals allowed the actors to have a
mance," junior Sarah Tajvar said of the winter little fun and relaxation.
play, The Hobbit. Tajvar said it was an "awe- Actors in the play were not the only
some experience" when the cast first show- students to join in on the fun of preparing for
cased their performance because the audience the winter play. Plenty of help was needed in
cheered and clapped during the play, and the the technical department, as well as in the set
actors knew their hard work had paid off. and costume areas. Senior Aaron Wong was
However, before having the satisfaction of pleased with the amount of creativity he was
carrying out a successful performance, the cast able to use to create his own interpretation of a
and crew had to put in a lot of hours and effort Middle-earth setting.
to perfect the play. Practices started at the Another participant hard at work was
beginning of November and were held twice a director Jan Fischer. She decided to put on
week from 6:30 to 9:30 in the evening. As The Hobbit because of the recent increase in
opening night drew nearer, practices were held popularity of the Lord of the Rings series.
every day after school until 10 P.M. Fischer also wanted to get one-up on
Freshman Nick Herink summarized the Hollywood.
preparation process as "three months of no "Since I heard there was a Hobbit movie
eating." Although Herink exaggerated his coming out, I decided I'd do the play before a
point, he said that he usually felt very tired and movie version came out," Fischer said.
hungry after the long hours of practice. After months of preparation, the cast put on
Cast members said they remembered a lot of three performances of the play at school and
good times they had off the set as well. performed for elementary students as well.
"One night after rehearsal I went outside to The cheering crowd was a sure indication that
find that the cast had Saran-wrapped my their performance was a huge success.

Bilbo Baggins, played by senior Nate
Fineman, reads hi s di ary to Thorin, pl ayed
by senior Tyler Fry. Bilbo's monologues
helped set up specifi c scenes.

Hiding from Mrs. Fi sher in a barrel is se·
ni or Al ex Breedlove, wh o pl ayed Dori the 35.~
dwarf. " I love Mrs. Fi scher, but sometimes
I want ed to run," she said . Winter Play~