The annual play was put on over the past two weekends. This year the school decided on the Curate Shakespeare’s “As You Like It.” If you saw it, you know how much of a treat it was. Jivese McCullum’29, Chyler Smith’28, Journey Beier’28, Gene Abron’28, Savannah Warthen’28, John Wainz’28, and Kai Colbert’27 made up the cast of this performance. All of them played numerous roles and played them well.
The play was around two and a half hours of laughter and, of course, Shakespeare. Most actors switched roles every scene, showcasing their skills and understanding of their characters. On top of the character changes, multiple cuts can best be described as fourth wall breaks. I know I would struggle with keeping it all straight, but all the actors seemed to not only succeed but thrive.
I was lucky enough to talk with Abron, whose main role was the Curate. I asked them about their favorite part of this play. Abron responded, “Seeing people that I care about grow. Seeing them make decisions, make choices, and embody their roles. Not just as characters but also as actors.” With a small cast like this one, it’s hard not to get close and make friendships. The cast also spent numerous hours working to perfect this performance, so if I were a betting woman, I would bet that they know a lot about each other.
I also asked Abron about the most challenging part of playing a lot of characters and the fourth wall breaks. They answered, “The most difficult part is trying to figure out how to accurately portray different characters and not trying to keep them all the same. Characterization is definitely a challenge when you’re playing multiple characters. Especially when they’re back-to-back. You just have to try making the characters different so that it doesn’t feel like you’re just watching the same character because costumes can only do so much.”
It’s over now, so you can no longer witness this comedic masterpiece. But to the cast and crew, you should be proud! It was an amazing performance, and I enjoyed every minute of it.
Featured image: Chyler Smith’28
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