Junior T.J. Green directed Steven Karam's Speech and Debate in the Studio Theatre to start off the Spring 2019 semester of theatre. It provided audiences with a timely message with just the right amount of humor sprinkled in.
Speech and Debate follows three teens as they try to expose a drama teacher who preys on teen boys. Solomon (played by sophomore Tyler Hughes) dreams of being a journalist and is a reporter for the school newspaper. Howie (played by first-year Keegan Harry) is a gay teen who is solicited by the school's drama teacher on the internet. Diwata (played by senior Sarah Goodall) is an aspiring actor/singer but seems to lack talent. The three form a Speech and Debate team and perform an original musical version of Arthur Miller's The Crucible, which combined time travel and young Abraham Lincoln.
Under Green's smooth direction, the cast was successful in enticing the audience and getting them to sympathize with the characters. Both the teacher and reporter (played by junior Abbie Carpenter) served as much-needed voices of authority and also the voice of adult reason. Carpenter was successful in portraying the two roles distinguishably. Goodall, Harry, and Hughes had a great group dynamic and played off one another effectively. A highlight of the show was the three students' dance to George Michael's "Freedom" choreographed by junior Jeremy Smock.
Speech and Debate
Speech and Debate follows three teens as they try to expose a drama teacher who preys on teen boys. Solomon dreams of being a journalist and is a reporter for the school newspaper. Howie is a gay teen who is solicited by the school's drama teacher on the internet. Diwata is an aspiring actor/singer but seems to lack talent. The three form a Speech and Debate team and perform an original musical version of Arthur Miller's The Crucible, which combined time travel and young Abraham Lincoln.
Not only was the cast effective, but the designers were successful as well. The costumes designed by Dianne Dye reflected each character's personality, and the changes were subtle but noticeable.
Senior Kendall McKasson designed the lights for the play and set a beautiful tone with a mixture of warm and cool colors. Actors were visible at all times, and most notable was her use of LEDs to create a kaleidoscope of colors in the dance scene. Kris Eitrhem's set design was simple and efficient for the small space of the studio. With three distinct rooms and a projection screen in the back.
Junior Jessica Karolczak's sound design was exquisite and fitting for the show. Sophomore Erika Seabloom's props design is something to be noted as well. The props were clear, concise and left no room for questions.
Speech and Debate had three "hot flow yo ho" performances February 14-16. Anyone who couldn't make it to the performances missed out on a truly funny, inspiring piece. Director Green should be proud of himself, his cast and crew, and the design team. It was a cohesive piece that created an entertaining story.
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