January 2016

The January 2016 lightningboltonline.com

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Volume 16, Issue 5 www.facebook.com/sagehillschool

Striking a Chord By Namita Prakash

16prakashn.publications@gmail.com

Konnie Krislock

Tech Week Jitters. Costume designer Michael Fitzpatrick conducts last minute fittings for sophomore Meaghan Condas, lead actress playing Elizabeth Bennett, on the elaborate Pride and Prejudice set during “tech” week.Tech week rehearsals take place in the Black Box at the Studio at Sage Hill in the week leading up to the opening performance. Cast and crew dedicate more hours than usual in order to drive the production towards perfection.

Starting tonight at 7 p.m., the school will put on its production of Pride and Prejudice in the Black Box Theater in the Studio at Sage Hill. The cast will have four performances, with two other shows Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m. and a Saturday matinee beginning at 2 p.m. Directed by Mary Robinson, theater teacher and producer of community programming, the play promises to strike a chord in each audience member’s life. “The world in which Jane Austen lived is so strikingly different from the way we live now, it will be very fun for the audience to experience,” said senior Maru Sefami, assistant director to Robinson. The production features sophomore Meghan Condas, a young, but promising individual as Elizabeth Bennett, the lead. “During the acting process, I began to realize how much I related to Elizabeth’s problems, whether that is general social insecurity or often feeling embarrassed about my family, two problems that many young adults encounter today,” Condas stated. Senior Tamara Tsubota, stage manager, offered a unique window into the production’s evolution through the rehearsal phase. “It’s an amazing experience to watch the actors take risks and experiment. It’s incredible to watch an actor become another person and discover their thoughts and interests,” Tsubota said. The play features 19th century clothing and an intricate set. The actors will don British accents for the performances to give the audience an authentic experience. “The way the show runs, the set and storyline move through time together and keep the audience wanting more throughout the entire show,” Sefami said. Pride and Prejudice possesses a unique connection to the student body through the school’s academic curriculum. Seniors in British Literature English studied the novel during the first semester. “I am always looking for opportunities to collaborate and intertwine academic curriculum with our arts programming. I met with the English Department last Spring to discuss which novels are taught because I wanted to see if there was a strong adaptation of one for the stage,” Robinson said. “After many conversations and considerations, Pride and Prejudice became the obvious choice.” The selection has been a popular one among the cast and crew who are excited to share their production of Austen’s iconic work in the coming week. “Pride and Prejudice is so unique because it truly is a timeless piece of literature,” Condas said. “The novel was written over 200 years ago but it still remains relevant to a 21st century audience!”