Spirits were high and nerves were even higher this Friday night in the Portage High School West Auditorium. Continuing the rebirth of a long forgotten tradition the PHS Thespians brought us yet another lively student production, “Welcome to the Monkey House.” This play was an attention-demanding as well as an entertaining performance.
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After holding tryouts for the student production, which was anticipated to be the play “Rumors,” a quick change of script had to be made when the play rights for “Rumors” were not granted. Student Director, senior, and one of Portagelife.com’s very own, Lydia Gerike had little time to select a new play.
“I had to work a lot with the scripts that Mr. Geise [PHS Auditorium Director] had in his office. I read through a few and nothing was really catching my attention and then I picked up ‘Welcome to the Monkey House’ and I fell in love with it,” Gerike said.
Gerike explained that the audience should expect many things like humor and serious messages. In all that happens in the play’s hour and half runtime the audience members should expect to leave stunned.
After surviving the horrors of “Tech Week” Gerike believed that as long as you keep working for something it would work itself out.
“I am really excited that I got an opportunity to direct a show. I have acted all of my life and I have never done tech or anything like this so being able to see the stage from a different direction was definitely been an eye-opening experience.
This year among the cast of the student production there was a face more commonly seen on the softball diamond than on the stage. Senior Summer Vardaman stepped outside her comfort zone and went out for the production.
“I have always wanted to be in a play but I have had sports and since it was my senior year I decided I was not going to leave high school without even trying out for a play,” Vardaman said.
Not long after being casted Vardaman was excited to start working and enjoying the new experiences and friendships that come along with a PHS Thespians student production.
“I have made a lot of friends in here. I’m getting to meet different types of people that I would not normally talk to and talking to them. This is the most amazing group of people I have ever been with,” Vardaman said.
Even though the cast gave their bows after Friday’s show there is still time to see this lively production. At 7:30 pm. on Saturday night the lights will dim for the start of the final showing of “Welcome to the Monkey House.” Do not leave room for regret, make sure you get out to see the play.