By Rick Palsgrove
Southeast Editor
Members of the Cruiser Theatre Company are pictured here after their recent free public performance of the play, “13 Ways to Screw Up Your College Interview,” at Groveport Madison High School. The performance was in preparation for the group’s trip to the Central Area Thespian Conference in early January.
Groveport Madison High School’s Cruiser Theatre Company’s acting skills were rewarded by being selected to perform at the State Thespian Conference March 11-13.
The Cruiser actors performed the play, “13 Ways to Screw Up Your College Interview,” by Ian McWethy, at the Central Area Thespian Conference in early January where it was reviewed for the State Thespian Conference.
“We were accepted to take the show to the State Thespian Conference in March,” said Corey Ragan, Groveport Madison High School theatre teacher, director and Cruiser Theatre Company Advisor. “I am so proud of all the hard work that the students put into the show. Besides having the show screened at conference, students also attended shows from other schools and workshops presented by theatre students and professionals from around the city.”
Upcoming performances
The Cruiser Theatre Company’s upcoming performances at Groveport Madison High School, 4475 S. Hamilton Road, are:
• “Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind,” Jan. 30 at 7:30 p.m. (tickets $5); and
• “Godspell,” (2012 version), April 14-16 at 7:30 p.m.; April 17 at 2 p.m. (tickets $7 and $10).
According to Ragan, “Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind,” is a 24 hour play-in-a-day, where students stay at the school auditorium for 24 hours to rehearse and prepare culminating in a performance of 30 plays in 60 minutes.
“The night of the performance, a clothes line will be extended across the stage with pieces of paper numbered 1 through 30 hanging from it,” said Ragan. “Instead of a playbill, the audience will be given a menu of 30 play titles. Our master of ceremonies will then ask the audience to call out a play title and that’s what will be performed. Each play has to be performed in 30 minutes or less. There will be a timer on the stage and the goal is to get through all 30 plays in 60 minutes.”
Cruiser Theatre Company member, sophomore Addie Peelle, said the play-in-a-day concept is, “A thrilling and fun challenge for us. Since we’re all here together for 24 hours, it’s also a great bonding experience.”
Peelle said the play-in-day format is different than a regular play because normally the performers have weeks to prepare for a performance.
“The play-in-a-day is more rushed than a regular play,” said Peelle. “It all has to be done in 24 hours. You have to work quickly to form a connection with your character and the transitions are fast. It’s hard to be two characters in a play, let alone being five or six different characters in several plays in a row. This is an exciting learning experience for us.”
For information on the Cruiser Theatre Company, visit cruisertheatre.weebly.com or gocruisers.org or call (614) 836-4964.
