Not unlike a game of Telephone on high dosages of caffeine, the Neil Simon production of Rumors graced the stage to grant audiences a night of uncontrollable laughter.

Troupe 6162 has received many awards and top ratings in competitions and lived up to their reputation on the nights of November 29 and 30. On top of great acting, the stage crew ensured that the transitions of audio were flawless; it was hard to believe that the participants took only two weeks to practice, memorize lines, conjure costumes out of thin air, and assemble a wicked-cool set that was two stories high.

And if one was scrupulous enough to nitpick any detail that may have gone wrong, they were at the very least, guaranteed to have a good laugh—and for some members of the audience, a hysterical one that made others turn their head in bewilderment. There was no perceivable deep theme backing the production. It seemed to be made all in good fun and purely for the gratuity of the crowd. The actors seemed to be enjoying themselves as much as the audience.

Of course, they deserve to; dedication levels had run high in order to put on not only a successful production, but a worthwhile one. Evan Uribe (12), stage manager, explained that she was there “for everything...making sure the actors knew their lines and…to make sure everything was running smoothly.” But most importantly, she had “never been so proud of a cast.”

Ms. Chris Chavers, former drama teacher, who came back to visit along with several alumni, said, “I’m lovin’ it. Fabulous. I was laughing so hard.”

To top it off, the play wasn’t Rated “G” either. It opened with the sound of a gunshot, there were jokes concerning marital affairs, swigs of “alcohol,” and a particular moment where Robert Valls (12), who played Lenny Ganz, opened his bathrobe to reveal nothing but Yellow-Smiley-Face boxers—something I’m sure the females of the audience enjoyed. Ashley Russell (12), who played Claire Ganz, wife of Lenny, said that she was hard-pressed to “not laugh” as that particular moment unfolded. When asked how he felt about exposing himself, Robert replied that “It’s for the part. You gotta get the laughs. You do what you gotta do.”

But this heavy dosage of hilarity won’t be a competition piece because it is a full length show—competitions are only supposed to be half-length. Despite that, Mr. Rey Bode, drama teacher and advisor, believed that the time, costs (performing a copyrighted show usually charges $200, then the sets and costumes come around to about $500), and effort was worth it.

And, well, I can only agree with him; my cheeks ached for awhile afterward from laughing so much.