Flathead High brings classic tale of Robin Hood to the stage

Featuring romance, comedy and drama, Flathead High School Theatre will present a boisterous reboot of a classic tale in “The Heart of Robin Hood,” May 24 and 25 at 6:27 pm in the David M. Hashley Theatre at FHS.

Admission is $7 for adults and $5 for children, students and senior citizens. Tickets are available at the FHS Main Office, Photo Video Plus and, if still available, at the door.

All is not well in Nottingham. The malicious Prince John is terrorizing the countryside, the poor are up to their quivers in taxes. Robin Hood and his band of outlaws swindle and steal from the rich-but haven’t figured out the “give to the poor” part just yet. To the rescue comes sword-wielding, sharp-tongued Maid Marion, who sets out to show Robin and his band that there can be honor among thieves. In this particular time of chaos and fear, Marion must step up to protect the poor and convince Robin to listen to his heart if they are to save the country.

“‘The Heart of Robin Hood’ is more of an origin story of Robin and Marian. It is such a unique twist on the legend of Robin Hood. It is a tale where Robin is not necessarily our hero, and Marion must help him become the Robin Hood we all know and love. It’s a very exciting tale that everyone will love,” said student director and FHS senior Naesha Johnson.

“This is a darker version of ‘Robin Hood’ but it is a family show. It is colorful, full of humor and surprises, and so much fun. So there are things that both kids and the parents will enjoy. When the audience leaves the theatre, they will have a greater understanding of the Robin Hood tale; that Robin is more than a guy in tights and Marion is not a damsel in distress and that through love, they found who they truly are.”

Written by David Farr “The Heart of Robin Hood” is a swashbuckling, spoofing and silly adventure with a contemporary edge.

Presented by the Acting 4 IB class, “The Heart of Robin Hood” is produced completely by FHS students. From tryouts to the final curtain call these students experience all aspects of theatre from the challenging tasks of directing and acting to set design and lighting. Acting 4 IB is the highest level of theatre class offered at Flathead High School. The students have balanced IB testing and busy schedules to create this production.

“Acting 4 is the last acting class you can take at Flathead. It usually consists of upperclassmen but this year we have students ranging from sophomores to seniors,” said Johnson. “We learn about all the aspects of designing a set and creating an actual show. It is a very informative and helpful class if you wish to pursue theatre as a career choice.”

“Being a student director is a big challenge for me,” said Johnson. “There are so many aspects that go into it. Not only are you directing the show, you also have to design the set, create lighting cues and, for this show, fight choreography. Sometimes it can be very stressful, but I wouldn’t change having this opportunity for the world. It is honestly one of the best experiences I have ever had.

“My classmates are very energetic and passionate group of people. Some I have been in acting class with from the beginning, others I have just met this year, but we are all a big goofy theatre family, and we are going to try to give it our all to make this a great performance.”

“The Heart of Robin Hood” is the final production of the 2017/2018 season for FHS Theatre. After the performance on May 25, there will be an awards ceremony honoring Theatre Varsity Letter winners and seniors.