The cast of London High School’s production of “And Then There Were None” includes: (front row, from left) Aaron Gates, Ruth Peart, Nathan Adkins, Hobbes Treynor, Paul Huff; (back row) Zoey Marshall, Jessie Thompson, Lily Marriott, Clayton Arvin, Sarah George and Andrew Brand.
(Posted Nov. 10, 2016)
By Kristy Zurbrick, Madison Editor
London High School’s drama students are working hard to do right by Agatha Christie by playing well the characters who do wrong in her best-selling murder mystery, “And Then There Were None.”
In the play, 10 people, all of whom have been complicit in the deaths of other people, are lured to an island where, one by one, they are killed. With each death, the survivors think they’ve figured out what’s going on, but then another one of them dies.
The actors’ job is to keep the audience guessing, too. Director Scott Blanton said his cast is up to the task, especially his core group of seniors. Among them are five guys who call themselves the “nerd herd.” The group has performed together in musicals and/or plays for the past four years. They include Nathan Adkins, Clayton Arvin, Andrew Brand and Aaron Gates, all of whom have parts on stage for “And Then There Were None.” The fifth, Joshua Dulin, works backstage. Two more seniors outside the nerd herd circle are Jessie Thompson, who has an on-stage part, and Melanie Green, part of the stage crew.
“Everyone is working hard to prepare,” Blanton said. That includes the rest of the cast: freshman Paul Huff, sophomores Zoey Marshall and Lily Marriott, and juniors Sarah George, Ruth Peart and Hobbes Treynor. And the rest of the crew: freshmen Maureen Treynor and Quinn Santucci.
For the teenaged actors, one of the challenges is playing older characters. In “And Then There Were None,” the character ages range from mid-20s to 70, with most somewhere around middle-aged.
For those helping behind the scenes, the trick is to transform an indoor high school stage into something resembling a sandy patch of land surrounded by water.
“We’re using sound effects, lighting and visuals to give that island feel,” Blanton said.
This is the first mystery Blanton has directed at London High School. The last time London performed this particular mystery was in the fall 1998. To anyone who saw it then, and to anyone who has otherwise read or seen the story, Blanton, the cast and crew say, “Shh, no spoilers, please.”
As for why Blanton chose to do a mystery, he said, “I’ve always wanted to do one. They’re fun, and it seems like a typical theater thing to do.”
Show times are 7 p.m. Nov. 17, 2 p.m. Nov. 19, and 7 p.m. Nov. 19. (The matinee show on Saturday replaces the Friday show, cancelled because the high school is now hosting a playoff football game Friday night.) Tickets are $6 and can be purchased at the door.
Senior citizens are invited to attend the dress rehearsal at 7 p.m. Nov. 16 at no charge. Free refreshments will be served at 6:30.
