Students from Stage Crew hurriedly set up lights and equipment while students in Adam Brock’s Shakespeare class quickly reviewed their lines for their performance of The Tempest. As the lights began to dim and curtains finally closed, barristers from other classes filed into the Oral Arts Room to watch the performance during their 2nd period final.
In two months, 14 students managed to pull off an entertaining performance for the students watching. Even though students held scripts in their hands, even with some forgotten lines, the barristers watching were delighted by the students’ acting and passion. The crowd watched tense/expository moments in pure silence and laughed at comedic moments. At the end of it all, the Shakespeare class received resounding applause from the audience and, with a bow, exited the stage.
Once the audience had left, I asked around the class to get their opinion on the show.
“I think I did really good! I’m happy with it,” Magnolia Wallace told me, “I know we messed up a few times, but like, it was all fun and it all came together. I’m really glad.” Wallace also generously brought in all the costumes that the performers wore during the play, which added even more life and care to the performance.
“Honestly, it wasn’t the best but honestly it was really fun, even if we were reading off script, it sounded natural. There was also things like wardrobe, curtains, they all did a really important job. I think overall it was really fun, I had a lot of fun! Even if I messed up a couple of my lines, it was really good,” Brianna Lopez Rodriguez, lead actor, said to me.
“I think I did pretty good. I’m the TA and I had a really fun time spanking Michael around.” (Editor’s Note: During the play, a character was beaten with a stick for a comedic scene for a solid 20 seconds.) I think that was the most comedic part of the play because everyone just started erupting into laughter. Like imagine seeing the Michael Goi, the one who’s face was on every poster getting spanked by like 50 people, that’s insane,” Zaira Rodriguez, TA and performer, professed to me through giggles, “But anyways, it was pretty fun being a TA. Like I loved TA-ing, and I love Mr. Brock.”
I then communicated with the director and teacher of the small program, Adam Brock.
“I thought it was, in true Tempest style, magical, there I say? In theater, what’s cool about it is that everytime you do it, it’s different and you make mistakes, but they’re fun mistakes! And as long as things keep going, magic happens. And there were pretty cool moments and I’m proud of everybody, it was awesome.”
