By Ty Hillson
The Theater Department, following the concession of choir teacher Adam Drefs, sees a new start. The biannual One Act plays directed by teachers and students kick off this fresh beginning.
The event contains a weekend of short comedic plays. This year “The Audition”, “#Hashtag” and “Last Minute Adjustments,” showcase talented student actors and offer insights into the directors’ creative approaches. While opinions on the theater department’s strength post-Drefs vary, overall pride in acting remains consistent.
“The Audition” is this fall’s student-led play directed by Sal Gums. During one of their practices, Sal described the plot of their play as, “A bunch of kids auditioning for a musical, and it’s full with comedy and drama.” They also said the actors were good at following directions. The students’ acting was so phenomenal it was hard to tell when they were pretending and when they were not. Al Kiem, playing Yuma, says, “[Sal] is a doing a really good job… keeping a strict but fun (like-) environment”. There is an extensive measure of respect between students.
“#Hashtag” is a one-act led by English teacher Ms. Dennis. She has this to say about her play, “Well my play is about a very common problem, and that is that young people know a heck of a lot more about technology than older people do. So this play really stretches that out and makes fun of it.” Adam Nevala, playing Ed, describes Ms. Dennis as a “thorough” director who looks beyond the end product, instead having a “freeform” leadership style. When asked about her responsibility as a first-time director, Ms. Dennis states, “I have found it really enjoyable working with such an engaged group of students”. To the accord of her actors, Ms. Dennis is a strong leader.
“Last Minute Adjustments” is a one-act led by Mr. Stark. It’s about a person beginning a new life,” he says. Mr. Stark describes his directing leadership as helping the actors bring out the nuances and details in the script that the author is trying to display to the audience. He does this through emphasis on a line, lighting, sound effects, physical movement, and much more. Mason Rodriguez, playing Assistant A, has this to say about Mr. Stark, “I think Stark, similar to Dennis, is perfect at encapsulating the idea that- once you have a goal in mind, you know the steps to take it… He’s very fun to work with, he has great insight, and I think he’s doing an amazing job.”
Mr. Krueger, the new choir teacher at Delavan-Darien High School, plans to direct this year’s musical: “Little Shop of Horrors” and in the future, some of the One Acts.
When asked about the theater department’s strength following the absence of Mr. Drefs, students had differing opinions. Many students are still attached to Mr. Drefs. Mady Barta said, “I think [the theater department] is still gonna be good, it’s just gonna be Drefs-less… I think it’s still gonna be good it’s just not gonna be the same.” House of Thespians president, Riley Flintrop, claims “His absence makes it feel like something is missing.” Another group of students is excited for the future of the department and excited for the new changes their directors will make. Sal Gums has this to say about the theater department, “I think we are doing really good as is… he did great as a director, but now we are opening up more opportunities for more people to come in and explore the community together.” Although opinions may vary, it is clear that all students are proud of their acting and confident in their directors.
Last year, Mr. Drefs played a central role in the choir and theater department. Mr. Drefs directed the musicals “Cinderella” and “Seussical.” he also helped lead the One Acts. In an interview with Mr. Drefs, he complimented the directors’ eagerness to take on the additional responsibilities of leading a play. He also highlighted the fact that Mr. Krueger is the first teacher who will not have been influenced by the past theater teachers. Mr. Drefs looks forward to the exciting changes to be made by the current choir director. When asked about this year’s musical, Mr. Drefs tells us he is very excited. The musical is definitely something to look forward to.
This year sees a growth in leadership throughout the theater department. New directors, Sal Gums, Ms. Dennis, and Mr. Stark lead the one-acts that premiered the first weekend of November. New leaders paint a bright picture for the future of singing and acting in our Delavan-Darien High School.
thecometeer