Arts & Leisure
Tickets on sale tomorrow for York High School fall comedy
By Melissa Wood
Jhames Steinsiek and Sara Demos perform a scene from "Universal Language," one of a collection of one-act comedies in the York High School Drama Department production of "All in the Timing," set to open next Thursday, Nov. 2.
Photo by Steve Rasche
That's the name of the play and the challenge faced by the York High School students who are performing in it for their fall production that will debut on Nov. 2.
Timing is an important thing to learn for the students acting in the six one-act comedies that make up the play written by contemporary playwright David Ives. The other challenge is not laughing while performing these funny scenes.
Director Rebecca Hembree described the play as "a perspective on life situations that we all find ourselves in, and how people have to rationalize and explain things."
Hembree, who is an English teacher who also directs for the Drama Department, said comedy is equally as difficult to perform as drama because of timing, which is achieved by practice, but sometimes comes naturally to the students.
"Often they have an innate ability," said Hembree.
One act in particular that has complicated timing is "Philip Glass Buys a Loaf of Bread," which is set to an intricate rhythm pattern. Senior Jack Cooper, 17, who plays the composer Philip Glass, said the scene's rhythm is repetitive but the cues constantly change, making timing especially complex.
Describing his role as the composer, he said, "It's what's going through my head when I see this woman that I loved once and she's pointed out to me."
Cooper also stars in the act "Variations on the Death of Trotsky" where he plays Ramone, the assassin hired to murder Leon Trotsky in Mexico.
"It has a very melodramatic ending," said Cooper, but "just little things in it make it really funny."
When asked about overcoming the challenge of playing comedy, junior Sara Demos, 16, said, "The script plays a major part of it. That helps a lot. Even if they're not laughing, you are."
Demos stars in "Universal Language," in which actors had a difficult time keeping straights faces during rehearsal. Students watching in the audience also laughed out loud.
What kept everyone cracking up was that every line in "Universal Language" is nonsensical gibberish, since the act is about "the idea of making up a totally different language and how well you can communicate without knowing the same words," Hembree said.
In another act about words, "Words, Words, Words," sophomore Morgan Meagher, 15, plays the monkey Kafka, who she said is one of three monkeys typing into infinity, who sooner or later produce "Hamlet."
"It's been really fun," she said.
For senior Chet Tetreault, 17, "All in the Timing" is his last fall production, but he said doing the play has been pretty relaxing compared to some previous productions.
"It doesn't feel like as much work," he said.
Tetreault plays the character Mark in "The Philadelphia," a story about a guy who's having a really bad day. Tetreault said he identified easily with the role and people who knew him would agree.
"I feel like I really fit into this character," said Tetreault. "I'm really a frazzled 20- to 30-year-old guy."
Hembree said the students have worked hard to meet the challenges of starring in the comedic roles.
"They've had to take real risks and go beyond who they are," she said.
At Monday's rehearsal, the students were given three new components to work with, costumes, stage props and meeting members of the media to talk about their roles, and, Hembree said, "they've been able to concentrate and keep their focus."
The students have spent six weeks rehearsing and will continue to rehearse every day after school this week and next.
"They've had a really good time doing this," said Hembree. "We've all had a lot of laughs."
Performances will be held Thursday, Nov. 2, through Saturday, Nov. 4, at the York High School auditorium, beginning at 7:30 p.m. All seating is reserved. Tickets may be purchased in advance at the high school front office from 2 to 3 p.m. beginning Thursday, Oct. 26, or at the door prior to the performances.
Tickets are $5 general admission and $3 for students and senior citizens.
