Across Whatcom County, high school drama students will be making their way onstage the next couple of weekends to help solve (and commit) murders, make magic and battle monsters. They’d love to have you join them.
At Bellingham High School (BHS), the cast and crew of “Clue” met Friday, Nov. 4 to run their first dress rehearsal in advance of Nov. 10–19 performances at the school’s 800-seat theater. The dark comedy focuses on six guests who have been invited to a residence dubbed Boddy Manor for an intimate dinner party. But in the play adapted by Sandy Rustin — based on the screenplay by Jonathan Lynn — it soon becomes clear blackmail is the name of the game, and a significant body count will be required before the crimes are solved.
Director Kelsey Glasgow said although there is a high school version of “Clue,” they’re presenting the tried-and-true rendition based on the 1985 film.
“If they can see the movie, they can do the show,”
Glasgow said. “It allows them to step a foot into the adult world, and [this version] is more character-driven. And there will be blood, which my costume and makeup department is excited about.”
Glasgow, who’s been teaching theater and English for 10 years at BHS, said for a lot of the participating kids, this is the first “normal” show they’ve done that hasn’t been affected by COVID. Their enthusiasm for getting onstage resulted in 45 people auditioning for a play with a cast of about 9 people. So she double-cast the show, and one character who is supposed to play a number of different parts was broken up so more students could participate. Additionally, every night of performances will include a short pre-show murder mystery.
These theatrical palate cleansers are directed by seniors, and for the main event, other students take on the roles of stage manager, lighting and sound crew, costuming and far beyond.
“Even with acting,” Glasgow said, “I try to be very collaborative with my students. So it’s not just me telling them ‘Here’s what you need to do.’ They get to explore their characters. We try to give them as much autonomy as we can.”
Stressing hands-on experience isn’t a mistake. By the time drama students leave Bellingham High School, Glasgow wants them to feel as if they can go to a professional audition, or have a portfolio of work they can bring to a job interview.
Glasgow said having the community be supportive of student productions is also important to the kids, who get to see their hard work appreciated by people in the audience who aren’t just their friends or families.
If last Friday’s rehearsal was an indication of what those coming to see “Clue” can expect, be prepared to laugh, clap and guess whodunnit while watching the madcap mystery.
“They’re hilarious,” Glasgow said. “Most high school students have yet to be jaded by the world. They’re willing to try anything and be crazy, over the top and have a good time. They’re fun to watch.”
Allison Ross, head drama coach at Mount Baker High School, agrees community support is integral to showing students what they do matters.
The school’s fall play, Matt Cox’s “Puffs, or Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic and Magic,” opened last weekend, and Ross got to see how the students’ months of hard work translated into a successful show.
“Puffs,” Ross said, is the story of a group of wizards at a “certain school” of magic (think “Harry Potter” and you’re on the right track). But this story is from the perspective of the Puffs, who are overlooked in that other franchise because although they possess the ability to make magic, it’s not of the save-the-world variety.
“Puffs are a group of loyal, kind, hardworking students who see the best in the world, each other and themselves,”
Ross said. “I chose this play so that our students could explore and let shine these wonderful qualities they already possess.”
At the remaining shows on Nov. 10, 12 and 13, those who attend will see evidence of the rebuilding of the drama program at MBHS after a couple of tumultuous years, with students working in a variety of roles both backstage and onstage.
“Watching the leadership of our older seniors this year has been so encouraging,” Ross said. “They have created a welcoming environment for those that are new. They have examined old traditions and chosen only the ones that feel positive to them. They have demonstrated for all the students how to make healthy choices, how to communicate well, how to work hard and have fun at the same time, and how to show up for each other. In many ways, this group really are the Puffs.”
In “She Kills Monsters,” which is showing Nov. 10–13 and 18–20 at Squalicum High School, fantasy merges with reality — and, like “Puffs,” also provides life lessons for those onstage and off.
Qui Nguyen’s 2015 dramatic comedy tells the tale of Agnes Evans, who departs her childhood home in Ohio following the death of her teenage sister, Tilly. When Agnes finds Tilly’s Dungeons & Dragons notebook, however, she soon finds herself in the imaginary world that was her sister’s refuge. During her adventures, she discovers homicidal fairies, ogres and her own courage.
Jason Parker, director of choirs and drama at Squalicum High, said he chose “She Kills Monsters” not only because the fantasy world of Dungeons & Dragons is popular among students, but also because it deals with topics and situations pertinent to high school life, including family dynamics, relationship-building and high school bullying.
“It also depicts teenagers in 1995 who are grappling with their own identity and coming of age,” he said, “which mirrors much of what we see today.”
Parker said he’s proud of the dialogue and self-reflection the show has created, and hopes students participating in the school’s drama program learn how to stretch themselves beyond their comfort zones. He wants to share that energy with the audiences who come along for the ride.
“Community members should come see this production because it is a timeless story that almost anybody can relate to,” Parker said. “It’s full of the humor and drama that is such a part of the coming-of-age experience.”
To find out more about times and tickets for “Clue,” go to facebook.com/BHSTheatre135. Details about “Puffs” can be found at mtbaker.wednet.edu. Tickets for “She Kills Monsters” can be purchased at squalicumdrama.com.
