Drama Club Presents: One Stoplight Town
Photo courtesy of Nicole Labrit-Petrewski
The cast and crew of One Stoplight Town, pictured above, are working hard to put together the first in-person show at Warren Hills in almost two years. WIth the entire cast off book, and the set being made, the show has been smooth sailing so far. The whole cast is hopeful that things will continue going as perfectly as they have been, and that they will have equal success with their spring production of Mamma Mia.
After a long year and a half of struggling with COVID 19, the Warren Hills Drama Club is proud to be back onstage! This November, you can come see the club’s performances of One Stoplight Town by Tracy Wells.
The story follows the citizens of a small town, which at first glance seems so sleepy and quiet that it is almost instantly forgettable. However, if someone were to stop at the only stoplight in the town and look around, they would notice that there is much more to it than just a grocery store and a diner.
From high school sweethearts to life-long friendships to age-old disagreements, the show does a beautiful job of capturing the emotions that can be found in small towns all across the country and of emphasizing the highs and lows of living in such isolated places.
“I wanted to pick a play that wasn’t a comedy, considering we’ve done those for the past few years, but I also really wanted something that wasn’t too depressing, considering the current conditions,” said Theatre Arts Director Nicole Lebritt-Petrewski. “This play is also great because it has a big cast and lots of fun parts.”
The cast consists of 19 people, many of whom play multiple parts and appear all throughout the show. The story begins in the 1990s and ends somewhere in the late 2010s. The audience gets to watch the characters and the town grow and mature, which helps them get attached to the story and makes it much more meaningful.
Last year, the drama club was stuck with a very limited amount of options when it came to performances. From a pre-recorded virtual play in the fall to an outdoor musical in the spring, it’s fair to say that it was far from ideal, and the whole club is relieved to have things be (almost) normal again.
“It’s great to be a part of this play, and to be back onstage inside with everyone included,” said sophomore Tyrik Iman-Washington, who will be playing the role of Bob the cranky grocer.
Backstage coordinator senior Claudia Fleming said that the play is “coming along pretty smoothly and is coming together really nicely. It’s great to have a normal performance again.”
Cherise Graham, senior, who is playing Sally, a loving wife and mother, agreed.
“I think that the play will be really great, now that we are finally back on stage,” she said.
The play runs Nov. 11 through Nov. 13 with 7:00 p.m. performances.
Simone North, a junior who is a director of costumes, hair, and makeup for the show said “the show is really sweet and touching, and it’s coming along perfectly. I really think that we are making amazing progress.”
Roisin McCluskey, a sophomore who plays Polly, the friendly and hospitable woman who owns the local diner, said “the show is going to be so fun and I think it will really resonate with the people of Washington and the counties around it. I really hope people come out to see it!
