The LHS Play, How Will it Play Out?

Many students try to find their “thing” in high school. Many of these students have decided to make the wonderful decision to join the school play. Students bond over the meticulous rehearsals after school and build lasting friendships. Even if a student is not in the play itself they can be a part of the stage crew and help the cast and director behind the curtains.

Even just watching the production can leave a lasting impression on audience members with some parents seeing their children’s hard work paying off. There are many ways that the school faculty could have handled the play this year, making rehearsals outside or virtual are just some of those ways. Most schools likely altered the production’s rehearsals and the show’s final product extensively.

Last year the play, which was a hilarious comedy, was done outside at Overpeck Park. This, no doubt, changed the way the performance turned out as they had a totally different stage than what they would usually use. Typically students would use the Leonia High School’s Little Theatre which even has seating that is different from that of Overpeck Park.

LHS Sophomore, Leia DeMarco LaBarbiera, agrees that last year was pretty difficult for students performing in the play: “Last year was a bit challenging due to us having everything outside and delivering lines was made difficult by having to wear a mask at all times.”
However, she believes that the restrictions caused by masks can not hold a candle to the difficulties caused by having to do everything outside of school. Restrictions being put in place this year for the school play, like last year, were inevitable. Even though the students are back in school, there are still many restrictions put in place.

One might wonder if the restrictions are looser than last year’s play and how people that have only been in last year’s play feel about the changes. Leia’s friend Christy, another Sophomore at Leonia High School, has something to say about this; “Last year the restrictions were pretty bad, it seemed pretty annoying having to work outside, what if it got really cold? I am glad that now we can work in the Little Theatre… We all have to wear masks and everybody in there should be vaccinated.”

Some restrictions put in place might not be changed for a very long time. Students and faculty might decide that they like having the play outside and try to do it again. There is even the possibility that the layout might be particularly better for some plays than that of the Little Theatre. When all is said and done there is no way to predict what will happen in the future for the play, however, I for one know that I am excited to see it play out.