Hot Springs Drama Club lights up stage

HOT SPRINGS – The Hot Springs Drama Club presented their spring production to a full audience, who were treated to a sharp performance full of applause and laughter.

On Wednesday, May 7, the Hot Springs Drama Club presented the final night of Birds of a Feather, in the school gymnasium in front of a sizeable crowd.

There had also been a performance the previous evening, in addition to a dress rehearsal on Monday night.

The play went off without a hitch, and the students looked very comfortable in their roles. This fact was made more impressive when one considers the drama club had a short couple weeks to learn their lines, and prepare for their two night run. 

With another play lined up for their spring performance, the drama club had to act quickly when multiple members of the cast were unable to participate in the upcoming play. 

Amy Anderson, a co-director of the drama club, noted directors and actors had to regroup quickly and pick a new play. Following the play, Anderson was very positive about the student’s performances, impressed with the play and how well the students had adjusted to the pressure of performing with less practice than they are accustomed to. 

“The students only had two weeks to memorize the play,” Anderson said. 

Not only did the club have to pick a whole new play and learn the intricacies of the performance in an expedited manner, the limited number of available performers meant the drama club had to pick a play with a small enough cast to fit their numbers.

They eventually landed on Birds of a Feather, a comedy that takes place entirely in one room, and it is safe to say they made a good decision. 

The actors and actresses made it work, they had fun doing it, clearly conveying their emotion into the performance. 

The three-act play, is set in Leona Crump’s home, a suburban house in a well-to-do cul-de-sac, where the neighbors or at least Leona, are always keeping tabs on one another. 

Their routine of maintaining their marigolds, discussing which side of the street was most conducive for growing flowers, and critiquing each others cooking is abruptly interrupted when a new family moves into the neighborhood. 

Leona, played by Kelea Ilac, whose husband Albert, portrayed by Austin Globe, rarely leaves his blanketed fortress on the couch, is specialized at keeping tabs on her neighbors.

An apparently full time job which involves looking down upon Ava, the saleswoman, played by Anna Rose Vogel and belittling George the mail man, Austin Norgaard, and the town police officer, played by Jade Smith. 

Leona who is already a bit overwhelmed with the current neighbors, the nice but quirky couple of Judy and Paul Harrison, played by Kaylene Peterson and Lex Baker, is taken aback with the ridiculousness of her new neighbors. The new residents of the cul-de-sac throw Leona for a loop, as Mawtilda, Shaelynn Miller, Gafina and Heather Rosler move to town. 

Self-proclaimed hill folk, the newcomers to the neighborhood aren’t quite in line with Leona’s suburban sensibilities, and their interactions are documented throughout the course of the play. 

The new neighbors colorful outfits, even more colorful language and their downright disregard for personal space all rub Leona the wrong way. 

Caley Clark and Amy Anderson were co-directors of the play, with Jon Anderson supervising the lighting, and Chris Clairmont and volunteers setting up chairs, helping to transform the gym into a theater. 

“The students really put together a great effort, and made it work,” Anderson said.