The spring production of the play, Caught in the Act, made its debut in the Katzenberg Black Box Theatre on April 25.
Written by Pat Cooke, the comedic play follows a frazzled director who has been blackmailed into putting on one final show with a group of unqualified, eccentric, and unpredictable actors. The story takes a turn when the cast learns that a financial backer may be in the audience, right as rumors spread that a potential murderer may be on set.
The story’s blend of humor, mystery, and fast-paced energy gives students the opportunity to explore the various bold personalities in different ways.
“I loved playing Gracie,” Louise Brody ’29 said. “She is the director with high blood pressure, and is the person tasked to keep these crazy characters in line. It was very fun and exciting to be able to be that character who’s in charge and sees all of the shenanigans that take place.”
For many months leading up to the opening night, students rehearsed almost daily after school, memorizing lines, refining timing, and creating the chemistry needed in a chaotic but cohesive backstage environment.
One of those characters is Ace, played by Shrey Maniar ’29, who described him as “a sly, shallow actor who’s always obsessed with himself and looking for the next stop to Broadway.”
Bringing Ace to life as that character required a very specific and tailored performance style.
“I really worked on making sure my line delivery and witty remarks were clear,” Maniar said. “Ace has a lot of lines that channel his arrogance through comedic timing, so I had to make sure my delivery and enunciation of them were clean. This is the first year I’ve played a character who has an inherently annoying and slightly malevolent role, so I needed to adjust to it.”
Mila Goor ’29, who played Jan, embraced the physical comedy of her role.
“I play Jan, who is always eating,” Goor said. “The part is very fun and original, which is awesome because I have a lot of creative freedom. My [trailer] scene does involve eating a lot of pretty gross candies in large quantities (I didn’t swallow them, I just had to fake it). But it was still quite disgusting in the moment, although I’d say it was worth it.“
Following the performance, the audience was full of praise and appreciation.
“I had so much fun watching the play,” Jolie Ding ’29 said. “Every character had such a distinct personality, and you could tell that the cast was having fun. After watching the play, I thought about how much work would go into putting on a show, especially one that’s supposed to look messy on purpose.”
Middle School Theater Teacher and Director Fredrika Irvine described her experience directing Caught in the Act.
“Directing this production was both joyful and challenging,” Irvine said. “Farce requires a lot of precision, so it pushed both me and the students to really focus on timing, movement, and ensemble work. My favorite part was watching the students grow into that challenge. Seeing them begin to trust each other, take risks, and fully commit to the comedy was incredibly rewarding.”
