In anticipation of the 2023 Fall Play, “The Grown Ups,” KO’s theater department has been working tirelessly to prepare for opening night on Thursday, Nov. 9.
“The Grown Ups” is a modern campfire mystery, set at a summer camp deep in the Indigo Woods. Starring freshman Sarah Balog, sophomore Miles Gruber, sophomore Leo Kollen, senior Anissa Lewis, and sophomore Meagan Rose, the haunting play will have the audience on the edge of its seat, clinging to every line.
Theater Director Kyle Reynolds discussed the plot of “The Grown Ups,” but was careful not to give too much away. “It really is a true mystery,” Mr. Reynolds emphasized. “It’s about a group of camp counselors left to their own devices when chaos ensues.” Miles added to this with his own perspective on the play. “It’s about a camp that undergoes a lot of change over the summer and how the counselors figure out how to deal with it,” he said. “It gets crazy.”
While on its surface the play is fun and exciting, it also sheds light on many serious, current issues. Anissa mentioned why she believes the play is important to share with the KO community. “It brings awareness to many different social issues, such as how we see each other in the world and how we can be more cognizant of people’s backgrounds,” she said. Much of the play centers around acceptance and community.
Anissa has learned a lot through embodying her character, Cassie. She plays the new camp counselor, and her role focuses on the difficulties faced fitting into a new environment. “I feel a lot of personal connection to Cassie,” she said. “Whenever you’re in a new setting, you’re always going to feel like you’re the odd one out, and I can definitely relate to that.”
Miles said that he is enjoying his second year of the Fall Play. “I play Aiden, the assistant camp director,” he said. “Through the role, I’m learning about how much responsibility you should take on and how that responsibility can affect you.”
At this point in the process, rehearsals consist of memorization and blocking inside the Black Box Theater. “We did something a little bit different this year,” Mr. Reynolds shared. “I didn’t let the cast go into the theater until they were fully memorized, which gave Mr. Bane time to finish the set and helped the cast feel more confident.” Memorization was a major feat for an 85-page play, but the cast has been supporting one another and taking each challenge in strides.
Both Mr. Reynolds and Anissa mentioned that the cast has been working seamlessly with one another. “It’s definitely a good group,” Anissa said. “We interact with and support each other very well.”
Mr. Reynolds noted that the cast has begun using certain aspects of the play in their own lives. “Whenever there’s a problem within the play, the campers do something called ‘round-table relay,’ where they pass around a problem and try to solve it,” he said. “We had a problem in rehearsal, and one of the kids suggested that we ‘round-table relay’ it.”
Finally, Mr. Reynolds shared that he hopes the play will spark discussion among the audience, stating that you really need to pay attention to every detail within the play’s dialogue. “I’m really excited to see the audience’s reaction to certain parts of the play,” Mr. Reynolds said. “The cast and crew have been working so hard, and I can’t wait for them to share what they’ve created.”
Everyone is encouraged to reserve tickets to the Fall Play on Thursday, Nov. 9, and Friday, Nov. 10!
