Have you ever been offered a billion dollars to kill someone’s ex-boyfriend? If you had…would you do it? That is the question being asked of the citizens of Güllen, a tiny bankrupt town in the German countryside that sets the scene for this year’s fall play: “The Visit”.
“The Visit,” written by Friedrich Dürrenmatt, follows the tale of an old woman who returns to her hometown, now wielding the riches of her late husband, in order to ask the town for revenge against a man who once wronged her. Now, the town must choose between keeping blood off their hands or saving the town and themselves.
Luckily, the students participating in this year’s fall production don’t have anything nearly as grim to worry about, at least not in real life. Instead, the anxious excitement bubbling in the theater black box results from the fast-paced world of bringing the story of “the Visit” to life.
This year’s fall play has taken a different route in both content and in production. The storyline, while outlandish and fun, also presents quite a bit of challenge for the actors.
“I think it’s an unusual play,” Theatre teacher Dr. Michael Butterworth said. “It’s fun because it’s got adult material and a big cast. It’s funny, but it also raises some interesting moral and ethical questions.”
“The Visit”’s mature content has allowed the theater production class–which is made up of actors, stage crew and thespian officers alike–to explore different ways of breathing life into the story, setting and the characters of the play, and the twists and turns give actors an exciting challenge.
“I think I’m excited to see the audience’s reactions because it’s a very interesting play, especially morally,” senior Thespian co-president Mia Williamson said. “It really leaves you thinking, you’re never sure what side you’re on.”
However, exploring a morally-controversial play, just like any other, includes a tremendous amount of preparation. Everyone in the class has a duty to do their part, including Butterworth, who often spends his evenings at school.
“I have to conceive of the costume and set design,” Butterworth said. “How are we going to bring this to life on stage? How are we going to stage it?”
Most of this prep work begins months in advance, even as early as the previous year, when Butterworth begins considering different plays for the production. Oftentimes, this choice is left up to Butterworth himself, but this year’s process looked significantly different.
“This year, I gave students a choice of six plays to choose from,” Butterworth said. “They all read the plays and there was a lot more student choice involved this year, which I think was good for the whole process.”
The class settled on “The Visit” and soon afterwards began their own preparations. They marked their calendars, cleared their schedules, and broke out their highlighters as they received their scripts–but this was only the beginning. Once rehearsals begin, it’s a race to the finish line before the curtain draws open.
There is much to do in between memorizing lines and attending after-school rehearsals, and to take a bit of weight off their director’s shoulders, co-presidents Williamson and senior Andrew Browne have the duty of keeping the theater department up and running.
“We handle all of the publication efforts, specifically on Instagram or around the school. We get in contact with ASB, if possible, and see if they can help publicize things,” Browne said. “While this is happening, we try to do other events, such as our upcoming workshop night or the tap classes. We’re running other things in the program as Dr. Butterworth teaches, and puts together the fall play.”
Both Williamson and Browne, who are also actors in the fall play, are vital members of a team of Thespian officers who help manage the theater department. Among them is senior Elle Spahn, who juggles numerous responsibilities as an actress, the Thespian secretary, and costume lead.
“I start working on concepts as soon as I hear Dr. Butterworth’s vision for the play,” Spahn said. “The next step is to go rent the costumes and start trying out looks.”
Spahn’s costuming, a necessary part of the visuals for the production, takes as much preparation as set design or characterization might, but Spahn is looking forward to seeing her work take the stage.
“I am excited about the story that the costumes will tell, and being able to act with all my friends,” Spahn said.
The friendships built within the theater production class are perhaps the most anticipated part of the performance, a unique reward of spending time with each other in and outside of the classroom.
“What I really like about the whole process is that it brings you closer with everyone else in the class,” Browne said. “It will be a really fun community by the time tech comes around and all the shows are done. It’s gonna be a great time.”
With a long way to go until curtains open, the busy schedules of the theater production students won’t be clearing anytime soon. But in the end, it will be days well spent.
“The Visit” will open December 1st in the Landback Auditorium.
Meet the Characters:
Claire Zachanasian
Q: Can you tell me a little bit about Güllen?
A: Güllen is a pathetic town that is run by pathetic people. Almost every building is falling apart and the streets might as well be sewers. Although, perhaps I’m just more used to a high class life.
Alfred Ill
Q: How do you feel about being poor?
A: It’s rough. I got lucky, I have a shop that people still come to and buy from, but it’s still rough. I miss air conditioning. I wish I had good home air conditioning and temperature control…and I miss having good clothing and looking fancy sometimes and being able to eat out every now and then.
The Mayor
Q: If you were rich and had lots of money, what would you buy with it?
A: If I was rich, I would invest most of my money back into the town that elected me.
The Policeman
Q: Have you noticed anything strange happening in Güllen?
A: No! Nothing strange. I’ve been tasting some amazing cognac lately, the cognac has gotten a lot better. But no, nothing strange.
