Cece Easley, Arts & Tech Editor
@virginaeas
For most, “Hell Week” would sound daunting and even frightening, but for senior Julia Dunn, it’s her favorite part of the theater program process. “Hell week is the week of shows, with rehearsals Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, then three performances for three days straight.” she said. “We stay at the school until 9, but the community really connects during that time.” Julia said.
Julia, who has been doing theater for four years, has a lead role in the fall play, “Take Her, She’s Mine”, a comedy from the 1960’s. “I’ve been working on fleshing out my character, Anne Michaelson.” she said. “It involves understanding her as the rock of the family. My main focuses have been been practicing how she speaks, the lines, and working on my delivery.”
In preparation for the first performance on October 27th, Julia’s schedule includes three hour rehearsals after school, which vary depending on the week. “As a lead role, the schedule is more demanding and we are typically called for many days every week,” Julia said. “We start off rehearsal with warmups, and as seniors we go to the underclassmen rehearsals and lead warmups for them.”
During this time after school, Julia also works on specifics for her role. “Before jumping into rehearsal, we typically have conversations about our plan for the day and working on a Transatlantic accent,” Julia said.
According to Julia, once the rehearsal process begins, she goes through scenes, acts them out, and receives feedback. “It’s key to understand stage direction and make sure that everything flows together nicely. Specifically I’ve been working on this with lines and between different roles .”
Spending rehearsal time with her cast mates is one of Julia’s favorite parts of the process. “We become connected through the time spent together, and work really hard to get the show into the final stages so that it is ready to perform.”
One of the theater program’s traditions is spirit week, which takes place the week before the play and is a highlight for Julia. “We get partnered with someone, or several people, and spend time together,” she said. “We exchange buddy gifts, and it’s a great way to get closer with castmates.”
Reflecting back on her past years of theater, Julia’s favorite show to perform was “9 to 5” because of the singing, dancing and acting involved. “It really stood out to me, from the rehearsals to the performance as a creative and fun take on the story,” Julia said. “Drama Fest, which I did sophomore year, lets students write plays and perform them, and is also a great way to be creative.”
The theater program is known for embracing everyone into their tight-knit community. According to Julia, everyone involved is inclusive. “The community is so supportive, and it’s an extracurricular that is welcoming,” Julia said. “My confidence has grown and I’ve become more self assured through performances and rehearsals.”
Not only has she gained confidence and skills, but she has also found close friends. “The theater program has given me an outlet for creativity and fun, enabling me to express myself in different ways. It taught me about personal connections, working together as a cast and making a show the best it can be.”
