Wolfpack Theatre Company presents two historical dramas

Focusing on the forgotten, the Wolfpack Theatre Company at Glacier High School will feature two historical dramas at the upcoming Acting and Stage Production Showcase Friday and Saturday.

Curtain time is 6:33 p.m. in the Wolfpack Theatre at Glacier High School. The two one-act plays include “LaFayette No.1” and “We are the Sea.”

“Lafayette No. 1” is a haunting, historical one-act play that tells the story behind the Poydras Orphans’ Tomb located in New Orleans’ Lafayette No. 1 cemetery.

As the yellow fever epidemic ravages the streets of New Orleans in 1816, no one thinks of the orphans known as the Forgotten — except for Lizzie Landry. Lizzie brings bread from her mother's kind employer to the band of homeless youths she's befriended, even though local police and politicians consider them nothing but a nuisance. But when the epidemic entangles Lizzie's fate with those of the Forgotten, they all must band together to hold the city accountable for their most vulnerable citizens.

“I am so excited to share this production,” director Greg Adkins said. “This cast is a nice blend of newcomers and veterans of the Wolfpack Theatre Company. I'm excited that several actors will be making their GHS stage debut."

“We are the Sea” recounts the story of four brave women whose last resort during the Irish potato famine was to put their trust in the immigrant ships and the sailors aboard to help them find a new life. When a cruel, angry sailor refuses to show them mercy, it seems like even their stories might be lost. But they don't know that the sea that swirls around the ship is listening. The sea remembers everything. And the sea demands justice.

“During the potato famine, people fled Ireland in search of food and survival. Most did not reach new lands. The ships they boarded became known as coffin ships due to the high mortality rate of their passengers. “We Are the Sea’ tells the story of four of those young women and the role of the Sea in their journey,” director and class instructor Ivanna Fritz said. “This historical work shows the devastating effect of injustice and shares a message about how to treat those most vulnerable. It makes us think about people in different times and circumstances and the surprising similarities that can be found today.”

The acting and stage production class taught by Adkins and Fritz is one of five theater courses offered at Glacier. The class helps students develop their character portrayal skills and the discipline required of an actor. It uses monologues and ensemble performances along with the full play production process to instill the concept of theater as an art and assist the actor in analyzing a script and understanding the role of the actor in the production process.

“The majority of our class finished the Intro to Acting class in January and were cast in this show in February. We have three seniors to help lead the new ones into a great process,” Fritz said. “Every day we come in and immerse ourselves into the Sea. They are creatively telling this story. The entire class has been diligent with lines, blocking, costumes, and all that they have been working on in this show. I am so proud of them for embracing a unique story and creating a chorus of the Sea.”

Advanced tickets for the showcase are available online at https://gofan.co/, Glacier’s online ticketing service, and at Photo Video Plus. Tickets will also be sold at the door. Tickets are $8 for adults and $6 for children, students and senior citizens.