Did someone say, red… house… MONSTER? No? Okay. Oh wait, it was our One Act! How fun! Cass High’s school theater was able to compete in our Region One Act last month at Allatoona High School! They put on a show called The Red House Monster! It had a run time of about 45 minutes and was set in the 1800s. Although it was quite short, it was a very well-executed production.
The Red House Monster had a small cast (5 students!) but they didn’t fail to make a flawless production. Even with such a small cast, the students put on an emotional and exciting show. The main cast members were Olivia Hawkins (Cora Gold), Leonnah O’Shea (Hannah Gold), Xavier Rector (Sheriff), Violet Trim (Geryon), and Elaina Heinzer (Mother Gold). Cora and Hannah were both sisters who lived in an old village with their mother. This being a horror/suspense play, these young actors/actresses were able to bring a small community together on stage. They looked after each other and conquered challenges throughout the show.
Hannah being the older sister takes it upon herself to stop Geryon from killing her sister. O’Shea (Hannah) and Hawkins (Corra) both captured the sisters’ relationship perfectly. There was arguing and bickering but they were always there for each other. Hawkins followed her role of being the younger ‘sensitive’ sister while O’Shea was the brave and bolder sister who wasn’t afraid of an old ghost.
This competition piece was quite an emotional show. Being able to work with the people around you and show exaggerated emotions can be challenging. Hawkins specifically stated, “I got to portray a lot of emotions in this show that I hadn’t been able to do in other shows. I think that in doing that, I learned a lot about my skills and was able to act out certain things I didn’t think I was capable of before this role.” As coaches and teachers tend to say, ‘Practice makes perfect.’ The more roles you have, the better you can grow in one area of skill.
Not only did One Act make a positive impact on the actors/actress’s skills but it grew the students together. They got to put themselves in new characters and bond together on stage. O’Shea shared, “Overall, it was a really enjoyable experience. I miss it all the time and I think I always will. It was a really great time for me and all the people around me, I loved the people around me that I worked with.” One act simply brought many students together. Productions can be long and exhausting over the course of the show and competition pieces especially can be draining and stressful. In the end, most students look back and remember the amazing memories they made and how much they learned as students, as well as young actors/actresses.
Unfortunately, the show did not place in the competition. But that doesn’t mean they did bad! Many things were learned and it sounded to be a good learning and growing experience. Most of the cast talked about how enjoyable it was to see other schools’ productions as well as learn how they can be better next year. Although they did not get the result they had hoped for, it truly boosted many of the students’ skills. So, as a student, if you ever feel bored or wish you had something fun to be a part of, take up theater! According to our few actors who competed, they all had a positive experience and sounded quite eager for the next opportunity they will have in the theater world at Cass High (or even outside of the school’s theater)!
