The Damascus Drama Club has long been a staple in Damascus and a source of entertainment for the Swarm. People long for March every year to hear the opening number as the curtains pull back. The club puts on three shows per year to keep the school entertained throughout the year. The first show is in the fall and is strictly a play with no music whatsoever. This year, it was a combination of two one-act plays called “Check Please!” and “The Nine Worst Breakups of All Time” that left the audience dying from laughter. The winter show revolved around a classic Christmas tale that everyone knows and loves. This year it was “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” that spread Christmas spirit throughout the auditorium. The most anticipated show is in the spring, which is always a musical with a huge ensemble and pit; this year, “Mary Poppins” is the musical, featuring Rain Kuscewski playing the titular character. This musical is coming up very soon, with musical theater fans left to wonder what goes on behind the scenes and how they put on a fantastic show in under three months.
David Landrith, one of the head seniors of Damascus Drama, helps out with decisions about the shows. Landrith has been doing drama at Damascus High School (DHS) for almost three years now and is ready to take on his final bow. This year, Landrith portrays the male lead Bert, a good friend of Mary Poppins. Landrith believes that “This show is a lot more intensive, and [he has] been noticing that the shows have been getting more and more intensive each year” since “The Addams Family” (which he wasn’t a part of, but other people have told him about the show.) Landrith’s job is making sure that “information from Mr. Kachadorian gets where it needs to be.” Landrith observed that “the younger group of kids have adapted quickly.” He also observed that the only conflict they had came from them needing to learn to take Drama Club more seriously and just “small maturity things that are normal for their age.” Since it is the beginning of the show, Landrith had some thoughts on how the musical was going along, which was that everyone is “doing really well on the dancing and making sure they are getting it down”, and he thinks they are “too early in the development for any problems to arise.” Landrith, starring in his very last show at DHS, “ [is] just trying to make the most of it and make sure [his] time in DHS Drama Club ends on a high note.”
CeCe Redd is a sophomore who has acted in Damascus Drama for almost two years now and is ready to take on two more years of drama club. Redd is an ensemble member and is a member of the board of directors. Redd observed that “there’s a lot of work going on, especially backstage, like people have to remember lines, dances… just for the show to happen in two months.” Redd also noticed that there haven’t been a lot of conflicts happening so far, because “what people do well in the drama club is just help each other out with difficult stuff.” Observing the seniors in a leadership position, Redd believes that they are doing an amazing job and are so kind to her. Redd believes that the director “does well and is making sure that everyone is in the right place and makes sure that everyone knows what to do and knows how to do it,” and she thinks what he can do is “check on some people that are still struggling to see if he could help out.”
Carolynne Letendre, junior, is the head of the Damascus Drama tech crew, overseeing everything that is being built and designed for the show. Letendre has been involved in drama for about three years.. Letendre believes that the younger generation of people in tech is “hard and adapting quickly” to the new environment. At this very moment, tech is “working on building platforms.” Letendre observed that their director is doing such a good job considering how big of a musical production it is. Letendre opened up that the show “might be longer and more complex than shows of the past.” Caroylnne Letendre is excited for this show and is looking forward to future productions.
Tickets are $15 for adults and $12 for students.
The show dates are March 6, 7, 13 and 14 at 7 p.m., and the 14 at 2 p.m.
Make sure to come see the spring musical, “Mary Poppins” to support the arts and your fellow students.
