Culpeper County High School - Colonnade Yearbook (Culpeper, VA)

Page 33 text:

THE MAIN SOURCE BEHIND THE CRIME, is Mr. Roat (Russel Walker) here surrounded by his friends Carlino (Phil Chemi) and Mike (Keith Dunn). NERVOUSLY, Carlino (Phil Chemi) hands the phone to Susie (Charlotte Pruth) after having dialed his criminal “friends”. QUIET, QUIET, Mr. Roat (Russel Walk¬ er) puts everything in order for Susie’s entrance. ARTISTIC MAKEUP, Mrs. Mason paints a face for Keith Dunn while Holly Meade finishes off Jeff Stevenson’s total make¬ up job. Fall Play 29

Page 32 text:

Settling down with a good scary book can be fun. But what was even more fun was when the book was brought to life. Murder, mystery, and things that went bump in the night all stalked the auditorium during the Drama depart¬ ment’s fall presentation of “Wait Until Dark”. The six cast members, Philip Chemi, Jeff Stevenson, Russel Walk¬ er, Keith Dunn, Charlotte Pruth, and Emily Ecton, found their job as actors a little more difficult than what was typical. Learning lines, blocking, and timing, as well as stunts, was difficult enough. But when the fact that part of the play had to be done in total dark¬ ness was added, the job got more If you think blind victims, pyschotic killers, and evil con men are frightening Wait Until Dark complicated. But they carried it off with ease. The set went up early so that the ac¬ tors could get used to where every¬ thing was. The drama classes, who also served as the tech crew, worked at sealing off the auditorium so there were no light leaks. Charlotte Pruth found that she had been handed an extra handicap. The character she played was blind, so Charlotte had to practice in the dark both literally and figuratively. Besides an excellent performance, the actors and tech crew gained one added bonus. When the power went off on Dec. 3, they were able to say, “Follow me, I can handle this!” i OLD FRIENDS, but still arguing are the conmen Mike (Keith Dunn) and Carlino (Phil Chemi) in Wait Until Dark. SEARCHING THEIR WAY, through trash on the floor Gl oria (Emily Ecton) helps Susie (Charlotte Pruth) to clean up the mess Gloria had made. 28 Fall Play II

Page 34 text:

To some it was fun, to others chaos, but when the lights went out it was a total Thursday, December 11, started off like any normal rainy day. First through third periods went along smoothly. Fourth period had begun. Students were in their classroom, in the halls, or just starting to eat lunch when suddenly —THE LIGHTS WENT OUT. Yells of jubilation were heard through the halls (or of conster¬ nation for those unlucky ones caught in a windowless room). The noise quickly settled as every¬ one waited to see if the power would come back on. Two minutes, then five minutes —at ten and no lights, they realized this one was going to last for a while. Teachers with windows in their room opened the curtains and contin¬ ued teaching. Those left in the dark both literally and figuratively by the possession of a windowless room and the lack of power to run the PA sys¬ tem waited to find a place to wait out the dark. They didn’t have too long to wait. To insure the safety of the stu¬ dents, those in blacked out rooms were moved to the cafeteria and halls where there were windows. The administrators and some teach¬ ers took posts along the halls to run messages and handle any emergencies (none happened). After everyone was settled, busi¬ ness continued as usual. Teaching con¬ tinued, and the school was quiet. The only loud noise was produced by the rumbling of the empty stomaches of those hungry second period lunchers whose lunch shift had been delayed. At 1:15 the lights finally came back on. Mr. Pearson talked to the school via the now working PA and explained what would happen for the rest of the day. The round of cheers that greeted his announcement was even louder than the one given for the power out¬ age. The buses had been called —ev¬ eryone was going home on a one hour vacation. BREAK Kim Baber, Lori Thomas, Lori McConchie, Mister Jennings, Earl Scott and Kim Brown relax after Ms. Byrd gave them some free time. 30 Blackout