Meadowdale's Young Dramatists Running the Show

It's all about the student on the Meadowdale High stage. 

The high school's drama club just finished staging the American classic "You Can't Take It With You."  

I know because I got to work on the show. In fact, I directed it.  

What was unique about this production? Instead of being handed their characters and blocking by the director, the students created their own. 

Then, too, the technical design -- set, lights, sound, costumes, props and makeup -- was all designed by the students.  

Senior Lucas Dreessen, the show's lighting designer, said he was able to stretch himself as an artist. 

"This is probably the first time where that aspect has really been brought out at Meadowdale," Dreessen said.  

Dreessen's lighting design during the play's romance scene is a favorite with the drama club's advisors, Alison Ersfeld and Amanda Wood.  

"I love the red light," Ersfeld said. "I love the dark scene, in the love scene between Tony and Alice, the moonlight." 

"It really sets the mood," Wood added. 

The rehearsals for the production were after school; in the past, students attended a regular class called Play Production to put the show together.  

Junior Emma Holton designed the costumes. In the past, she had older classmates to turn to. This time she was on her own. 

"I just had to basically research the time period and everything and understand what it was that I could actually work into the stage," Holton said.  

Two favorite costumes of Holton's design were for the wacky xylophonist Ed and ballet dancer Essie.  

"I did like doing Essie's because it was just like you could be fun with it and do whatever because she's crazy," she said.

For the quirky character of Ed, Holton designed pleather pants.

"It works," she laughed. 

Holton and Dreessen also played the star-crossed lovers Alice and Tony in the play, which was performed twice.  

"I like being able to show off my different acting abilities and I try to push myself further," Holton said. 

A favorite scene of hers is Alice's near meltdown in Act III.  

"I like to do it onstage because I can feel how the audience reacts," Holton said. 

"It gives me goosebumps!" Wood said. 

For Dreessen, playing a lover was no easy task.  "Pushing myself in this play, the hardest thing was having to have the romance," he said.  

The curtain will be raised on "Meadowdale Blooms," the drama club's next production, in early June. The club will be staging plays written, produced and directed by students.

And after that? What are the drama club's goals?

"Having a venue," Ersfeld responds. "Having the Play Production kids have a chance to perform." 

"And keeping the program running," Wood added.