CHS to present Robin Hood with a twist
COSHOCTON – “The Somewhat True Tale of Robin Hood” promises to be a good laugh.
“There’s a lot of slapstick humor in it and kids will enjoy it,” said Alex Burton.
Burton is a senior at Coshocton High School where the theater club is putting the play on at 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 17, 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 18, 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 20, and 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 22 in McKinley Auditorium. There are 26 students in the play including Burton, who plays Robin Hood.
“It’s a funny character and there are a lot of fourth wall breaks which is one of my favorite things to do,” he said. “I love talking to the audience. I also love practicing. Everyone works together to think of what we can do with scenes, but then I also love performing and trying to get our ideas across to the audience.”
Kris Hardesty, theater director, said the cast and crew have been an absolute joy to work with.
“I knew I had the students to do this play this year,” she said. “It’s very funny and they have the sense of humor for it. It’s the classic story of Robin Hood and his merry men, but with twits. Robin Hood keeps identifying himself as a great character of literature, but things happen that shouldn’t happen to a great character of literature.”
Hardesty said the theater club typically puts on a play in the fall, does a musical in the spring and then an actors’ choice.
“We work really hard to secure sponsors so any student who wants to can participate,” Hardesty said. “There is no pay to participate and no one has to come up with costume money.”
She also is proud to say that there are almost no adults helping backstage.
“One of our seniors is the stage manager and calls the show,” Hardesty said. “We do have adults who help, but pretty much right down the line it’s all students. I always tell them it’s their club. I’m just here to advice them. This group is fantastic. They are extremely mature. They have a good sense of what they want to see and how to make it happen.”
Stage manager Tara Brush has enjoyed her role with the production.
“I was the stage manager last year too and I like how much it absorbs your life and all the time you spend here,” she said. “The play becomes part of your life.”
Brush also is impressed with everyone’s creativity.
“We have the ability to work with anything,” she said. “We have so little to work with back there, but we always come up with new sets and props.”
Tickets for “The Somewhat True Tale of Robin Hood” are $5 for adults and $3 for students.
“It’s a hilarious play,” Brush said. “When I read it, I laughed out loud.”
Students with speaking roles in “The Somewhat True Tale of Robin Hood” are: Graham Beaumont, Alex Burton, Alexis Kittel, Kenzie Potter, Jacob Heading, Tyler Huston, Mat Dvorak, Christa Lain, Thomas Stonebraker and Treytan Scherz.
Category: Education
