Scholars will dive down the rabbit hole in the drama club’s upcoming performance
By Kaitie Helt
ROGERS — As a school with a strong track record in STEM subjects, Haas Hall Academy Rogers only recently started the drama club. Scholars Jozie Moll and Lilly Wittersheim saw an opportunity when they noticed other students interested in theater but without a place to explore it. Wittersheim explained that she and Moll were “in our pre-cal class…just talking about theater and how it would be a fun thing to do.”
With their upcoming play,“Alice in Wonderland,” the drama club invites the audience on a magical journey filled with imagination. As Moll and Whittersheim along with other scholars are preparing to follow Alice down the rabbit hole and into a magical adventure, this production has given them the opportunity to express their creativity and dedication in a meaningful way. After weeks of practice, they are excited to share their hard work with the audience and transform this story into an unforgettable performance.
As both an actor and head of costumes Wittersheim said her role requires a lot of flexibility, explaining that “it is a lot of improvising” and being able to work with what is available. She also noted that the group faces challenges due to an unconventional stage and scheduling conflicts, but highlights that “what matters in the end is we put together what we could and we enjoyed the actions and who we did it with.” Wittersheim believes that “Alice in Wonderland” allows for more creativity and she hopes the audience will leave entertained and interested in joining the drama club in the future.
Quinn Matushek was drawn to “Alice in Wonderland” after she suggested it as a show the previous year. From her perspective as both an actor and set designer, she said the show’s theme “is so fun and crazy and specific,” making it very exciting to bring this show to life. Playing the Queen of Hearts pushed her outside her comfort zone because “she’s a very boisterous, loud mean personality,” which is different from her own. Matushek also described the challenge of performing without a script, vocalizing that at times “ you feel almost helpless,” but also reminding herself that “this is fun.” She shared that her character clicked when she realized the queen is “hilarious just by not even trying to be funny.” Matushek desires that the audience understands that “it’s really the people who make the show.”
Jozie Moll said she started this club to give scholars an outlet they didn’t have before, explaining, “I wanted to create a space where people could express their love for theater.” As an actor, she said that her first major experience on stage was in last year’s performance of “Clue,” admitting that she has “definitely been pushed outside of my comfort zone but in a good way because it has taught me how to better interact with myself and other people.” Moll noted that they had to raise their own funds: “everything came out of our pockets.” She also claims that “Alice in Wonderland” is different because “there are a lot more characters and wonderland is a really whacky place so it’s much easier to add things.” After performing the Mock Turtle scene, she said the cast’s reaction “really validated the way I played the characters.” Moll hopes the audience will “have a good time” and encourages scholars to ask about joining the drama club.
Set to be performed in May, Drama club will offer scholars the opportunity to purchase tickets nearer to the date of the production.
