/Portals/2/logos/__TFMF_oqmidd2dnu23bcfw3urg3g3a_2b85400d-e700-4c43-8113-037faa76c7ac_0___Selected.jpg en-us Copyright 2008 - All Rights Reserved. Thu, 23 May 2013 12:37:17 GMT 15 By Connor Rietema
As an audience we came, we watched and we enjoyed the Shakespearian masterpiece performed by the drama club on Feb.3, 4, and 5. What many may not know, however, is that the development of this production was fraught with hardships. In addition to dealing with the challenges inherent in producing a Shakespeare classic, the theater crew also had to adjust to a new drama teacher and contend with the winter freeze that befell our area during the week of preparation, which forced the cancellation of three dress rehearsals. “Shakespeare is a standard in the theatre,” the drama director Ian Ahern said. “I saw that in Arapahoe’s history, very few Shakespeare plays had been done. I plan to do a Shakespeare play every three to four years, so that in a student’s tenure at Arapahoe they are given an opportunity to perform in a Shakespeare production.” Some of the difficulties in the production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” had to do with the props. There were massive amounts of branches and plant material that were needed to create the play’s forest backdrop. “This play had a lot of foliage, so we had to go to other schools to borrow some of it, which meant labeling it and all that stuff,” junior Emily Colmenero, props crew chief, said. Students also had to adjust to the management style of new drama teacher Ian Ahern, who replaced Frank Earley this year following his retirement. “We are getting used to not having the seniors from last year,” Colmenero said. “It has been a challenge but I think we are getting used to it. There are still some things I’d like to have done differently, and there are some things I need to get used to as well as far as the space and equipment goes. We are both learning together.” The greatest hurdle however, stemmed from the inclement weather days on Feb. 1 and 2. “We had three dress rehearsals scheduled: Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday,” Ahern said. “All three were cancelled by the district due to weather. The fact we were still able to perform on Thursday is a testament to the students and their dedication and preparation for the show.” The drama team managed to pull it all together with little time to spare. “We really had to put in a monumental effort the last 24 hours before the show. Everyone came in on all of their off hours, many even before school,” sophomore Eric Packer, organization and painting crew chief, said. Despite these setbacks, the show went on and to those who have worked in theater, it is clear why. “Our cast and crew are nothing short of miraculous,” student director Caryn Sebowich said. “Around 100 high school kids coming together for about eight weeks, becoming friends, and creating a breath taking, intense, fantastic, magical masterpiece… I call that a miracle.” ]]> Tue, 22 Feb 2011 22:49:18 GMT