It’s Show Time

Jackson Miller

Last week saw a momentous occasion for the Dalat drama department. The student written three act murder mystery, To Kill a Murderer, premiered on the 17th and 18th of October; the first production to be performed in Harbor Hall. A full cast of student actors, some longstanding drama enthusiasts, others newly interested in acting, spent two busy months rehearsing and practicing under the direction of Mrs. Horton and Miss Geiman. This is by far the shortest time that any drama team has had to pull off a full-scale production here at Dalat.

As the big night quickly approached, the cast spent a busy week of school during the day and dress rehearsals at night. The tech crew worked tirelessly to design set pieces and procure costumes. Posters and announcements popped up all over school, advertising the upcoming production. The final rehearsal came and went, and the realization suddenly dawned that we were near the end. Opening night arrived with the set finished just in time.

As we put on makeup and costumes, the conversation was about memories made and new friendships. The crowd started to gather, and we all took our places backstage. The hall was full of an audience waiting with eager anticipation for what was to come. Backstage, we smothered our coughs and talk died down to whispers as the lights came down and the (metaphorical) curtain began to open….

Dalat seniors Suji Lim and Kristi Philips spent their summer weaving the glorious script for To Kill A Murderer. In an exclusive interview with Philips, she remarked about having her writing produced: “It was a huge privilege to be so involved in the actual performance and production of the script. I am aware that most playwrights have almost no control whatsoever over the play after they've sent their script off; so, to actually be a part of the cast and give input on the production was really special.”

And this play was certainly very special. Intrigue and mystery fill the story, so much so that we gasped and marveled during the first read-through. The play contains unique characters, many with extensive backstories. Kristi portrayed Iridium on stage, a logical chemist with a soft spot for family. When asked what it was like to act as a character she created, Kristi replied that “as the writer, I knew exactly what each line meant and how I wanted to say it; but as the actor, the challenge became doing my own character justice and helping the audience to see [her] as I did.”

The cast steadily developed and learned about their characters throughout the month of rehearsals. Everyone agrees the cast represented their characters extremely well.

The final performance wowed audiences as the layers of intrigue were slowly revealed, and the story fell into place: the audience gasped when Rylance came back to life, they were shocked at the revelation of Octavian Ballester, and they laughed as Jade and Bianca met their favorite Juggernaut Agency Members. When the last scene came, and the curtain would have closed, the hall was filled with loud applause.

Backstage, we congratulated each other on a job well done with hugs and high-fives all around. The first season of drama had concluded, and we all felt a bit sad that our cast was disbanding. Many of the actors will again participate in drama for the Christmas season, while others are moving on to other things.

Overall, To Kill a Murderer was a huge success. Kristi concludes by saying, “we were essentially making Dalat history and blazing the trail for all dramas to come.”