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The Elmira High School theater production class closed out the semester with “In 25 Words or Death,” their second successful production in the last two years.

Although the class is now a thriving group of thespians, the group had humble beginnings as a club who came together for the sake of theater. 

Four years ago, the drama club decided to reform after a 10 year absence. The group accomplished one play and two showcases simply as an after school club, despite the troubles of transportation.

Theater production teacher Desirae Wright-Rendon took on the responsibility of turning the club into a class last year.

“It has greatly improved the quality of the productions that we can put on,” Wright-Rendon said. “I loved having it as a club to get it started and to get people interested, but it has worked better as a class to have regular rehearsal times and check-ins.”

The club had many troubles with commitment and attendance. Creating the class was a huge step up for the students who participate and enjoy theater.

“I feel like we got a lot more freedom during the club,” senior Lea Baldree told Falcon News, “but the attendance is a lot better in the class and rides are a lot easier to manage.”

This year, Wright-Rendon chose for the theater production class to perform “In 25 Words or Death,” written by William C. Darrell and Newt Mitzman. Many appreciated the choice because of the night of suspense and laughter they had while watching the play.

“I was wanting to do a murder mystery because I thought it would be fun,” the theater teacher said. “It also had a lot more defined blocking and that was the skill that I was looking to develop this year.”

The play centered on a group of eccentric characters who won the opportunity to stay on a cold stormy New England island in the middle of November. 

The prize winners are shocked by the ghost stories told by the owner of the house, later seeing figures in their windows and doors, receiving the fright of their lives. This scares the group into running around the house with fire pokers to ward off the evil spirits or whoever may be lurking there. 

It was an astonishing tale of murder, smugglers and a group of chaotic prize winners. The cast was thrilled with the outcome of the performance, and people have continuously congratulated them on their hard work.

“We did great! I feel like our best night was the second night because everyone was so nervous,” Baldree said. 

The performances went off without a hitch, however the production leading up to those days were fraught with setbacks and costume malfunctions. The group did not even have a backdrop until the day of the performance. They persevered, and despite a few incorrect exits when the lights came on, the cast brought their A-game. 

“Although we were in a crunch, it all came together on opening night. I have had a lot of feedback from teachers and others that say the play went very well. It is nice to see it come together successfully,” Wright-Rendon said.

The theater class has had a history of intriguing the foreign exchange students. In previous years, there has been at least one foreign exchange student in each production. This year, exchange student Erica Cuzminschi from Moldova joined the class. 

“Joining theater was one of my ultimate dreams,” Cuzminschi said. “It was recommended by my sister, who also was an exchange student. She regretted that she didn’t get to do it, and really encouraged me to try it. I am really proud of my teammates for pulling the performances in time, having such a beautiful outcome.”

With the end of the semester, the performance has concluded and there are some changes in who is in the class. Due to scheduling conflicts, some students were unable to remain in the class.

“I will definitely join again next year,” sophomore Kaia Garcia said. “I enjoyed it because it was a really fun community to be a part of.”

As is tradition, the theater class had a lunch performance of monologues in January to kick off the semester. The monologues were practiced in class and performed as an opportunity for new students to get on stage and realize whether or not they need to get over some form of stage fright. 

“It definitely did help,” senior Madison Ginter told Falcon News. “It helped me talk to people and it helped gauge how much stage fright I would have during the performance.”

Now the class has moved on to practicing their different roles for the upcoming play.

Wright-Rendon has decided to conclude the year with two performances of Sense and Sensibility, written by Jane Austen and adapted by Jessica Swale.

“We have a lot of upperclassmen, so I was looking for something more serious to stretch our seniors,” the teacher said. “I love Jane Austen and I believe that this play will allow us to work more on diction because of the regency era vocabulary, as well as the classic literature style.”

The students are very excited for the upcoming performances, which are currently scheduled for May 31 and June 1.