Carly Risom
Reporter
In need of a good laugh? The NCHS Theater department will be presenting the upperclassmen comedy All in the Timing, a play consisting of a collection of eight separate vignettes, from Oct. 18-20.
Junior Rachel Guth, who is playing a monkey in the vignette “Words, Words, Words,” said that the play consists of a lot of humor. “It’s a collection of plays that don’t seem to relate,” she said. “However, they’re all extremely funny.”
Senior Griffin Falvey, who plays a construction worker named Joe, is expecting a particular audience appeal. “I have an interesting conversation with two others characters about our life secrets,” he said. “This scene, to me especially, is really funny and I think the audience is going to love it.”
Not only does the play provide comical relief for the audience, but it also means more of a relief for its participants. Drama Coordinator Dee Alexander said that the play was chosen because the separate vignettes make rehearsals less of a burden and more productive for busy students.
According to Productions and Stage Manager Jessica Brower, this is a production that did not require a large amount of rehearsals. “There is only one rehearsal per week, making it easier for seniors who have work obligations, college visits and other things of that nature going on this fall,” she said.
Besides having to find the balance between rehearsals and academics, the play itself poses a unique challenge for the actors. Griffin found it difficult to harness a brogue different from his own. “The biggest challenge I’ve faced so far is trying to both memorize lines and [figure out]how to say them,” he said. “I’m slowly learning that how you say something is just as important as what you are saying.”
Junior Emily Chalon, who will be playing a French maitre’d named Collette, also finds that her character’s accent is hard to hone. “It’s difficult to overcome all of the different accents in the show. I have a French accent,” she said.
Jessica and Ms. Alexander also mentioned challenges related to proper character portrayal. “Some of the characters really have to get in touch with deep emotions, and must learn to portray an older age,” Jessica said.
Ms. Alexander agreed. “You have actors dealing with broad physical comedy,” she said.
Despite these challenges, Emily and Griffin said that they aren’t nervous for the play’s debut. “I’m more excited because I’ve done theater my whole life so I’m used to performing in front of people,” Emily said.
Griffin attributes his lack of nerves to the way the play is set up, “The thing about the fall play is that the crowd is literally on the stage with you, so its much more intimate and a lot less intimidating,” he said.
For Ms. Alexander, one of the most unique aspects of the play is the ability for many actors to stand out. “That’s why we chose this,” she said. “It’s really an ensemble-based piece.”
