JHS drama back with ‘Just Another High School Play’

If Laurie Whitman’s love for the arts offers any measuring stick, the Johnston High School Drama Club just may have an award-winner in next Wednesday night’s production of “Just Another High School Play.”

Whitman, who has been an English teacher on Cherry Hill for 17 years, took on perhaps the greatest challenge of her professional career last year after agreeing to take over the defunct JHS Drama Club.

“We had no budget,” Whitman deadpanned the other day. “We had no experience and no kids!”

However, Whitman, who is steeped with acting experience from her college days and work in community theater groups, rolled up her sleeves and resurrected the JHS Drama Club. She did so by getting seven students to put on a one-act play that could be called the stepping stone for the Johnston School Department to offer students another area in the arts.

All of which, Whitman said with a smile during a press briefing, has led to the upcoming performance of “Just Another High School Play,” a two-act play that will feature 10 students with the curtain going up next Wednesday evening, April 12, at 7 p.m. inside the JHS Auditorium.

“We’re doing so with a little bit of experience,” Whitman mused amid Monday’s fun-filled rehearsal. “This is the first time showing my hand at directing and producing.”

Judging from the enthusiasm and excitement of the 10 students, who’ll play multi-roles in next week’s production, Whitman has the JHS Drama Club up and running complete with a black-and-white printed four-page Playbill just as if “Just Another High School Play” was showing at a big-time theater.

Moreover, next week’s production is somewhat like what happened to the former JHS Drama Club before Whitman picked up the pieces to resurrect what is obviously a valuable part of JHS offering a well-rounded list of extra-curricular activities along with its academic programs.

As Whitman explained Monday, “Just Another High School Play” is a group of actors who have apparently been abandoned by their drama teacher, have to fend for themselves opening night in front of a live audience.

“Their teacher has left them hanging because no one has been showing up for rehearsals and no one is really quite sure what they are supposed to do,” Whitman went on. “The student assistant director and stage manager step in, find a box of scripts which they passed out to the cast, and try to put something together. What follows is a rollicking show full of physical comedy, gags, and satirical re-workings of many plays from Shakespeare and [Edward] Albee.”

Although there are no headliners because the production is about all 10 JHS Drama Club students, there’s a unique twist to next Wednesday’s presentation, as Whitman will play the Drama Teacher.

The cast, meanwhile, is an example of the talented group of high school students who will be cast into many different roles throughout the two-act play that features an “Opening Scene” and Scene Two: History of theater from 5,000 Years.

Act Two, meanwhile, begins with On with the Show and includes A Christmas Carol Rap, Our Town, This Town, Tom Jones and David Copperfield, Romeo and Juliet-A Puppet Show, Scene Work and ends with The Drama Teacher Cometh.

Take Elias Turner, for example. He’ll portray the announcer, Plant 1, Male Lead, Male Amy and David Copperfield. Jacsmile Cassion is cast at the Stagehand, Plant 3, Barkeep, Female Lead, Beth and Noel.

Meanwhile, the entire cast includes Elias Turner, Ashley DiLorenzo, Xavier Greene, Jacsmile Cassion, Kayla Rogers, Steven Larivee, Matthew Eisemann, Jaime Conti, Kathleen Jaroma and James Sylvia.

The production will also include music and sound effects done by Eisemann, a Tech Crew made up of DiLorenzo, Mai Kov and Elizabeth Cruz with special thanks, as Whitman wanted it known, going to Thomas Milligan.

Admission is only $8 per person and tickets will be on sale at the door.