'Around the World in 80 Days' without Even a Hot Air Balloon

Phileas Fogg isn't the kind of guy one would expect to make a bet with his friends that it was possible to travel around the world in 80 days, but that's exactly what he does in 1872 — well before air travel.

"He's very uptight," Masuk senior Ben Call said of the character he plays. "He's an adventurer, but he never leaves London, until he goes around the world."

But Fogg may be the right man afterall. He keeps his schedule down to the second.

"The temperature and the time has to be perfect," Call said. "There's a strict set of rules and he doesn't know why other people don't understand that."

The play "Around the World in 80 Days", based on the Jules Verne novel, will be performed at Masuk High School on Friday, March 30, and Saturday, March 31, at 7:30 p.m. and there will also be a Saturday matinee at 2 p.m. All tickets are $12 — $10 for students and seniors.

The play will be directed by Michael Crowley and produced by Trish Pagel.

The audience will follow the adventures of Fogg and his servant, Passepartout (Andrew Salzano) as they travel from London to Africa, Asia, North America and back. The duo go by boat, train, carriage, sled and even elephant.

But there always has to be a complication.

Fogg fits the description of a bank robber who made off with a significant sum of money and Det. Fix is on his tail.

"My character is verging on obsessed with arresting Mr. Fogg," said James Canal, a Masuk senior who plays the role of Det. Fix. "He thinks he's doing the right thing, but he's chasing the wrong man around the world. At first I try to hold him back, then I pretend to be his friend, so when we get back to England I can arrest him."

Like the bank robber, Fogg has a significant sum of money on him, but for his travels.

Fogg has a personal theory he believes will help him to win the 20 pound wager with his friends. "A minimum, if used properly, is sufficient for everything," Call explained the theory Fogg lives by.

Crowley said the play has over 200 roles, which will be performed by 22 young actors. Aside from the main characters, each actor plays about 10 roles.

"The students have to stretch themselves, because they play so many different roles," Crowley said.

Crowley said the actors change hats to get into character, as well as their voices and physical attributes. "It's fun," he said. "It's like practicing a sketch comedy."

Noah Kreski, a junior, and Jillian Canal, a freshman, said they also help with the transitions, moving chairs and tables and using props.

"It gives you a lot of room to try ideas," Kreski said of playing so many roles. Kreski plays Jillian's father in one scene and is the wind in another.

"We're an ocean," Jillian said. "We take fabric and sway it for the water and use hats for the sea animals."

Jillian said she enjoys playing characters in different countries with all of the accents. Jillian plays both male and female characters.

"It's everyone working together to make this great," Kreski said.

Everyone on the production of "Around the World in 80 Days" is also looking forward to a big turnout.

"It's a fun play," Call said. "You can bring your kids to go see it. It's going to be amazing."