Performers Dazzle Community in Fall Productions

For the cast and crew of the play, their efforts were focused on breathing life into the 2012 play by Simon Stephens, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, while dancers carefully crafted their interpretive performance based on the novel, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.

Dancers this fall set themselves to the difficult task of translating the well-known and beloved text of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland into a series of dance vignettes for the audience to enjoy. The performance followed Alice, performed by Peyton Allen ’20, through well-known scenes in the book, her fall down the rabbit hole, her visit to the Mad Hatter’s tea party, and fleeing the Queen of Hearts back to her own world. Each piece in the performance displayed the full range of dance styles, from ballet to contemporary, and expertly conveyed the carefree and humorous tone of the source material. Dance teacher Ms. Donna Franklin expressed her pride in each of the dancers, saying, “The girls contributed to multiple aspects of bringing this show to the stage. They participated in writing the storyline, choosing music, assembling the set, and creating some of the choreography. Along with all that, they each gave fabulous performances of their characters!” The performance run showed the dedication of those students studying dance in the fall semester and proved to be the perfect precursor to the emotionally charged play that followed the next week.

Under the direction of Ms. Gwen Couch, actors in the fall play set to work bringing to life the world and perspective of a child on the autism spectrum in their stirring production of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. The play is an adaptation of the 2003 novel by the same name and follows Christopher John Francis Boone, a 15-year-old boy who describes himself as "a mathematician with some behavioral difficulties" as he navigates family challenges, school life, and discovering his own independence. Reflecting on the production process, Couch said, “The cast and crew worked tirelessly to learn about, and honestly present, the experiences of a teenager on the autism spectrum. This production placed incredible physical and emotional demands on the actors; their trust in and support of one another throughout this journey was truly extraordinary. ” The outstanding performances and production of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time electrified the school community and left everyone who saw the show with plenty to discuss in the days that followed.

Both shows demonstrated the community’s strength in and passion for the performing arts. The efforts and performances of those involved in both productions were a lasting gift to the audiences who experienced them.