For this year’s spring production, Battle Theater will be showing the longest-running play in the world. Agatha Christie’s The Mouse Trap. The story is set in the 1950’s . The newlywed protagonists have inherited a manor, and they’ve decided to turn it into a guest house. But the protagonists soon find out a murder has taken place near the manor. They later come to believe that the murderer will come to their manor in search of their next victim. The preparations, details, and obstacles that our actors have to face to successfully execute the legendary stage show are both tedious and exciting.
Auditions were held in mid-December, lasting for 2-3 hours. During these auditions 30 people tried out for a role, making it difficult for the director, Ms. Myriah Araiza, to decide who to cast because there are only 8 total characters in the play. The course of casting took about one week. Throughout this time, Araiza says that she was looking for people that would fit the roles of the characters, and had a combination of talent, work ethic, and the ability to get along and correspond with other cast members. Rehearsals didn’t officially start until after winter break, so while auditions were still taking place, Araiza made a statement saying “I need whoever I cast to be really hard working”
Currently, Battle’s cast and their understudies are about mid-way through rehearsals. Rehearsals start after school at 4:30, and last until about 6:15pm. But recently, rehearsals have ended at 7:30 to get more time to practice lines with each other and build the stage set. They start off with some movement and vocal warm-ups such as practicing British dialect and gestures that are presented in the script. The actors have finished a whole run through of the production with their lines fully memorized and actions blocked. In addition, the wardrobe team has completed color psychology, as well as finalized the making of the costumes. According to the website TheaterArtLife, color psychology describes the meaning, tone and the moods certain colors give to the audience. As far as the set, the tech crew and cast are currently putting it up and finishing the details before showtime. “I think we have a really solid team working on this” said Juliette Blauvelt, junior and the production’s stage manager. However, there have been a few hindrances whilst preparing for the show. Snow days have detracted the time the theater department has to prepare for the show. Gregory Jackson, junior and assistant stage manager and other members of the team stated similarly that they wish they had more time to arrange and practice more before the opening shows. However, the primary deadline they have to face is the arrival of the director’s soon to come baby. Ms. Araiza will give birth to her baby soon but there is a bit of a possibility she could give birth before play preparations are completed. This would leave only stage manager Blauvelt, in charge of making everything go smoothly. Araiza has faith in Blauvelt and her cast: “If my baby gets here early they (the actors) will be ready and prepared, but it just feels a little extra stressful.”
The most prominent characters are the newlyweds Mollie and Giles Ralston, who own the manor. The other characters are their guests, Christopher Wren, Mrs. Boyle, Major Metcalf, Miss Casewell, Mr. Pravincini and Detective Sergeant Trotter.
Mollie is described as “the perfect wife” and very kind, but also seems to have a secret she’s not sharing with the other characters. Her husband Giles is said to be arrogant, opinionated, and traditional, yet he deeply cares for his wife. Christopher is portrayed as hyperactive and unkept, and Mrs. Boyle is characterized to be short-tempered and a complainer, while her companion Major Metcalf is soft spoken and polite, Miss. Casewell is said to be strong and independent. Mr. Paravicini seems to deceitfully look and act “elderly”. Lastly, Detective Sergeant Trotter is described as smiley and cheerful.
The show will be running February 22 – 23 at 7:00 pm and February 24th at 2:00 pm. There will be a show for understudies before the previous shows mentioned on February 20th at 7:00 pm. All of these shows will be taking place in Battle’s Performing Arts Center. Tickets can be paid for at the door, or online.
Araiza hopes to do it justice because this storyline is very famous among the genre of mysteries in the world of theater. Furthermore, students like Jeremiah Fox, Gabby Story, and Lienna Marshman are seniors who are in the current cast who have been in many of Battle’s previous productions. The Mouse Trap will be their last performance before graduating. During all of their interviews, they all mentioned they hoped to have fun doing their last production for Spartans. “I think people will think it a good play because I know everyone working on this and their abilities and what they’re capable of”- Jeremiah Fox.
