Wakefield Theatre Company has been busy this year with shows like “How I Became a Pirate” to “Guys and Dolls.” As the school year comes to a close, Wakefield Theatre has one last show to put on. The cast members, made up entirely of the Theater II class, have worked tirelessly, having only had around four weeks to put on this production.
“An Audition for a Murder” features different characters such as hard-working director Vivian Vinderlou, diva Troy May, loving but controlling mother Mrs. Needleman and more as they audition for a show called “Death of a Disco Dancer” by Jim Culter, the playwright of this imagined show. As the chaos of the audition unfolds, an auditionee unexpectedly dies. The rest of the auditionees then must all try to figure out who possibly killed him.
Sophomore Ayden Howe plays struggling actor Alan Stanton in the show and has greatly enjoyed this role throughout the rehearsal process. Howe has a great passion for theater and finds it exhilarating to perform in front of an audience. With a dream to pursue acting, he is excited to see audiences fill the seats and watch the show that the cast has prepared.
“I think this show is quite humorous with some great banter but also mysterious with a shocking twist,” said Howe. “Overall [it’s been] an enjoyable experience that I’m glad I can take part in.”
Anika Siegfried, a sophomore, plays the stern inspector Bonnie Bravura and has had fun with this character because she gets to do a lot more than previous productions. She is pleased with the outcome of the production after only a few weeks of rehearsals in class, and has enjoyed working with her fellow classmates.
“I do theater because I think the community is some of the best people I’ve ever met and they make everything I have to do that much more fun,” Siegfried said.
Caden Olson, a sophomore, plays the up-and-coming Reed Moore and is thrilled about this production and opportunity in the Wakefield Theatre Company. Though it has been hard to navigate the overall schedule for rehearsals for the past weeks, being able to perform makes the process worth it.
“It’s been interesting to see how the process works when there is a severe time crunch,” said Olson. “All in all, I’ve really enjoyed the theater projects I have worked on this year and I can’t wait to do more when this one’s done.”
Senior Nayelie Ayla, who plays the shy Julie Needleman is saddened to leave high school theater behind after this show is finished. Ayla has been a part of the Wakefield Theatre Company since freshman year. She is also one of the three directors for this production, along with Nathan Case and Sydney Faull.
“I’m saddened that I have to leave and just enjoy the fun of being a kid,” Ayla said. “I’m proud of how far I have come with theatre and doing something I love.”
“An Audition for Murder” will open Thursday night at 7 pm with another show on Friday at 7 pm. Tickets can be found on the Wakefield High School Theatre GoFan website, and it will be performed in room 608.
“As teens we can create something with words to come to life and create a world of imagination in person,” Ayla said.
