“Hi-Diddle-Dee-Dee, an actor’s life for me!” Performing on the GHS stage is an invaluable experience, not only for the aspiring actor, but for anyone desiring success in the professional world, or to be a better person on the stage of life.  Nonetheless, acting in the productions at GHS is not for the faint of heart.  Hard work, long hours, sleepless nights catching up on homework, and massive amounts of coffee go hand in hand with involvement in this extracurricular activity.  In the end, however, the cast walks away from the show with new skills, new friends, and experiences that I personally wouldn’t dream of trading for the world.  Each production is a remarkable culmination of months of work that, while exhausting, are also life-changing.

Beginning with the auditions, actors must study the motivations behind their characters’ behavior and get to the bottom of “what makes them tick.”  After the cast list is posted, the lucky few commence the first day of rehearsal with a read-through of the script. Soon after, blocking is introduced and the actors get up on stage to add movement to the words, and in the case of a musical production, music, song and dance.

The director is our coach, our fearless leader, giving us invaluable strategies to bring our characters to life and convey the theme of the play.

The technical crew works tirelessly building the sets, gathering props, and illuminating the stage.  Our amazing pit band is a vital element of the musicals and works closely with the cast and crew.  Throughout the rehearsal process, new friendships are formed and old ones are bonded.  We become a team in the same sense as a sports team, where we support and play off each other.  We gain important life skills throughout the process, not only self-confidence, the art of public speaking, and working successfully with others, but learning what it’s like to put ourselves in someone else’s shoes.  Perhaps this is why thespians are usually extraordinarily tolerant and accepting of others.  Then there are our weird, little pre-show traditions and rituals which electrify the cast and crew before the curtain goes up, and the victorious post-show parties where the fruits of our labor are celebrated. To put it simply, we are a motley, unique, ever-expanding, supportive family.

This year’s fall play, “And Then There Were None”, written by Agatha Christie, although a dark and suspenseful murder mystery, has proven to be an absolute joy to rehearse.  [During the week prior to opening night] we are putting in long hours working on lighting cues with the tech crew, applying finishing touches to the set, and working with costumes and make-up. In other words, there will be “no rest for the wicked” until opening night on November 6th!