Students tackle Shakespeare plays

The Flathead High School Theatre Department’s Acting 2 class will present two one-act plays May 18 and 19.

“All the World’s a Stage” features “The Shakespeare Project” and “All I Need to Know I Learned by Being in a Bad Play.” The shows start at 7 p.m. both nights in Flathead’s David M. Hashley Theatre.

“These one-act plays are two contrasting styles of drama to highlight what these actors can do and create a full experience for the audience,” said Valeri McGarvey, Acting 2 adviser and director of the school’s theater department.

“The Shakespeare Project” is a compilation of scenes and monologues adapted by James Zager from some of William Shakespeare’s greatest works.

Zager has successfully adapted these enduring tales into a masterful contemporary piece. With settings from a teenager’s bedroom to the wrestling ring, “The Shakespeare Project” is a perfect example of Shakespeare’s timeless lessons found in his most famous characters.

“I wanted to do something with Shakespeare, but I did not want it to be overwhelming for my Acting 2 students who are brand new actors,” McGarvey said.

“‘The Shakespeare Project’ contains some classic Shakespeare monologues and scenes that are re-imagined and updated. It provides a great opportunity for my more experienced actors to have a fun challenge and to introduce my new students to Shakespeare on stage.”

The second play, “All I Need to Know I Learned by Being in a Bad Play,” is a farce about all the things that can go wrong when being in a bad play.

“It’s hilarious and is sure to leave our audience laughing on their way out!” McGarvey said.

Both one-act plays pay tribute to the timeless works of Shakespeare.

“The ‘Bad Play’ that is being produced is ‘Romeo and Juliet,’ and ‘The Shakespeare Project’ has the balcony scene re-imagined as two teenagers texting each other,” McGarvey said. “To make the connection complete, the same actors play Romeo (Drew Crosby-Newman) and Juliet (Devinne Schultz) in both plays.”

Tickets for “All the World’s a Stage” are $7 for adults, or $5 for children, students and senior citizens and are available at the Flathead High main office, Photo Video Plus and The Bookshelf.

Acting 2 is one of nine classes offered at Flathead as part of the Theatre Program curriculum. Acting 2 students learn about various theories of acting in the classroom setting and then participate in a theater production that allows the students to experiment with acting techniques and creating character.

The students also are responsible for set, lighting, costume design and publicity for the show. They learn about the many facets of what it takes to put on a complete production.

“This class contains a very diverse bunch of students. Some have never been on stage at all, and some are veterans of many productions,” McGarvey said.

“I love teaching Acting 2 because of the diversity. It is fun for me to introduce new students to the thrill of live performance, and to also grow and encourage leadership skills in the more experienced students.”

The cast of “All the World’s a Stage” includes Karl Boveng, Drew Crosby-Newman, Eva Haven, Kaylee Hawkins, Catherine Henderson, Seonna Lamoreaux, Austin Leach, Aleksandra Leki, Camren Lembke, Heta Nikula, Kristen Ross, Dakota Sakariason, Dylan Schroeder, Devinne Schultz, Alyson, Smith, Cassidy Smith, Briana Stidham and Random Vernon.