In lieu of a traditional one act, the Falcon Players presented their showcase Scenes From Seasons Past on April 26 and 27.
Since the school’s inception 30 years ago, the theater department has been a key part of the Summit community. To celebrate their successful history, the Falcon Players curated a collection of scenes, monologues, and songs from the 67 unique productions they’ve put on over the years.Sophomore Jackson Schertzer and junior Finnley Free kicked off the show with the sweet, jazzy duet “I’ve Confessed to the Breeze” from No, No, Nannette, the first musical to be performed in school history. From there, well-loved classics and hidden gems alike were brought back to the Summit stage. One of the most interesting aspects of this show was the diversity of styles. While most productions have a very similar feel and theme throughout, Scenes From Seasons Past combined the fun, western sounds of “The Best Man” from Pump Boys and Dinettes (performed by senior Emily Heigham) with the mystifying, classical vocals of “So in Love” from Kiss Me Kate (performed by junior Shekinah Annin) and so many other styles. The result was an incredible opportunity for the performers to show off their specific theatrical strengths, creating a unique and enjoyable experience for the viewer.
While the one act has served as an introduction to theater for underclassmen in past years, each performer in this showcase had participated at least one show previously. However, many talented performers who haven’t had a moment in the spotlight were able to fully showcase their abilities. While sophomore Mary Donovan and freshman Becca Wirthlin have never had a solo in a Summit musical, their performances of “My Own Little Corner” from Cinderella, and “Goodnight My Someone” from Music Man and “Tomorrow” from Annie respectively proved that this is not a reflection of poor talent, and their songs were entertaining crowd pleasers.
It’s impossible to talk about crowd pleasers, though, without mentioning “Get Your Head in the Game” from High School Musical. Starring Heigham as Troy Bolton, the East High Wildcats (Donovan, and juniors Sienna Walton, Alivia Valdez and Audrey Schammel) drew lots of laughs and applause from the audience. The dance number was one of multiple non-singing scenes. Junior Faith Roberts acted out a captivating, tear-jerking monologue as Emily Webb from Our Town, and sophomore Piper Covert and senior Aidan Eslick brought the iconic Jo and Laurie proposal scene from Little Women to life incredibly.
Junior Oliver Stratton perfectly closed out the show with his comedic performance of Wadsworth’s monologue from Clue, the Falcon Player’s 2020 play. The pandemic posed difficulties for theaters around the world, and safety restrictions forced Clue to be a virtual production. Stratton finally bringing the show to stage was a full circle moment for the program, showing how even in the face of challenges, the Falcon Players persisted. Between scenes, director Lyndal Willis walked the audience through the history of the program. Between the controversies and backlash of Urinetown and the incident in Damn Yankees where an actor actually fell into the orchestra pit, it’s evident that the theater department has had its fair share of struggles. However, as “Don’t Be the Bunny” (performed by sophomore RJ Rummel, Eslick, Stratton, and Covert) and “Heart” (performed by sophomore Lauren Laffleur) took the stage, the Falcon Players solidified their success as a program, proving that no amount of setbacks can quell the passion and talent that has existed within the theater department for the past 30 years.
The show was a simple but enjoyable watch and gave the audience a glimpse into both the past and the future of the Falcon Players. With the abilities that were showcased during this production, it is evident that the program will continue to thrive for years to come.
