At the beginning of February, auditions for the SWHS theater department’s spring performance were held in the auditorium. This spring, students are excited to bring ‘The Play That Goes Wrong’ to the SWHS stage.
The play is directed by long-time director Brynn Chandler. It will be put on by two separate casts, referred to as Blue and Red casts, each with different students who will perform alternating shows. This practice is to equally share each students’ talents with the audience.
“The Play That Goes Wrong” is unique when compared to others that have taken the stage in the past, since it will showcase an intricate and interactive set design. The cast is excited for this change of pace, and are thrilled to expand their experience in theater and acting.
Junior Allyson Benblatt, who plays Sandra in the red cast, is looking forward to playing a dramatic role, which is outside of the normal opportunities for her.
“I love the comedic aspects, but also the fact that it is a murder mystery,” Benblatt explained, further expanding on the hype for the play.
Alongside the differences Benblatt touched on, the preparation and skills that are needed to perform this play are different then what the theater department has worked on before.
After recent performances such as ‘The Giver,’ ‘Willy Wonka,’ ‘Into the Woods,’ and ‘The Addams Family,’ this will provide a fun challenge to both returning and new cast members, as well as giving the audience an interesting experience.
I’m excited to see everything come together, the set, the acting
— Senior Manasa Puvvala
Senior Manasa Puvvala, who plays Sandra in the blue cast, is excited to share her acting debut in a leading role.
She explains that this show is a “play within a play,” and forces the performers to take on the role of an actor acting in a play.
While a challenging first role, Puvvala is more than excited to conquer it.
The cast spends many hours after school rehearsing, learning how to adapt to these changes from past shows. Both the Red and Blue cast members are working hard to put on the best performance possible for the town.
The cast and crew hope to see many people come out in the spring to watch this performance, with dates that will be revealed in the coming weeks. In hopes that every trick works out smoothly, they are looking forward to sharing this engaging show with their family, friends, and other theater enjoyers from the South Windsor community and beyond.
