December 1st, 2008
Several weeks ago, the Saint Mary High School Drama Club, under the direction of Father Charles Hartling and with the assistance of Miss Brenda Cierech, put on a production of "A Murder is Announced." This play, adapted from a novel by Agatha Christie, chronicles the events of what should have been a rather quiet, ordinary weekend in a small English town. When the details of an impending murder are listed in the personal ads, on Friday the thirteenth no less, the community is in an uproar.
The murder is supposed to take place in Letty Blacklock's house. Along with her family and friends, she tries to dismiss the ad, but they are all
unable to shake their uneasiness. Unfortunately, their anxiety proves justified when someone is killed. The police are called, and everyone becomes a suspect. During the course of the investigation, the audience learns that not everyone is who they appear to be and yet another murder takes place. In the end, it's revealed that the prim and proper Ms. Blacklock is posing as her dead sister in order to inherit a large sum of money, and was forced to kill in order to keep her true identity a secret.
Maria Costa, a sophomore, stepped into the role of Letty Blacklock. Being cast as the villain was beyond incredible. I had so much fun playing what seemed to be a straight-laced, genteel older woman, and putting on a slight British accent to tweak the part as my own. It was quite enjoyable to see the shock on everyone's faces at the end of the night, when it was revealed that I was a scheming murderess. The audience couldn't believe that it was really me playing that role. It's not often one gets a reaction like that; I don't think I'll ever forget it."
The detective was played by freshman Frank Borrelli, who also spoke about his experience. "When I tried out for the show, I doubted that I would get a part because it's my first year here. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that I had been cast as the detective, and even more stunned when I saw how prestigious that role was. As the only freshman involved, I was a little worried that I would be treated differently by my fellow actors, but the upperclassmen were great. They accepted me as one of the group from the start, and they were a lot of fun. I'd like to thank them for making me feel like I was part of the Saint Mary Drama Club family, and helping to make my first show so memorable."
Actors weren't the only students who contributed to the performance; the tech crew, supervised by Mr. Anthony Meluso, has always played an important role in shows. Some members worked backstage manning the curtain, moving props, and assisting actors with quick changes, while others dealt with more technical aspects of the production, such as lighting, sound effects, and microphones. Chris Sofio, a senior who has been a member of tech crew since his freshman year, said, "Because this was one of my last shows, I put a great deal of effort into it. The tech for this show was not the most challenging I've ever done, but it did have a few difficult parts. Working the sound board and editing the vocals has given me the experience I will need to successfully pursue a future in this field."
All in all, the play was a complete success thanks to the hard work and dedication of everyone involved. The audience was captivated by the excitement and intrigue surrounding this murder mystery, and they genuinely enjoyed the production. Next up for the Drama Club - an unnamed musical that will be performed in the spring.