Pekin High School - Pekinian Yearbook (Pekin, IL)

Page 28 text:

Craziness dominates Onions w . has 100 arms and legs, a sister that looks like an egg yolk, a mother that has a whale spout, and a house that has a man on top of it counting seals? Well, if you don’t know, you missed the spring play. Spring play this year was “Onions in the Stew” written by Betty MacDonald and directed by Mr. Glenn Smith. Something rather unusual happened this year. Of the 25 students in the cast, 18 were underclassmen, including 8 freshmen. The lack of “seasoned” actors led to a few noisy rehearsals, but the newer members of the cast soon quieted down backstage and put together a crowdpleasing show. In the beginning, the set was going to be small because of the success of the contest play which tied up the crew for an extra week. However, the crew decided that the lost week was for a good cause and built one of the largest sets in years. Along with the usual flats and fireplace, the crew constructed a stone back wall and suspended beams. The set successfully gave the effect of the island cottage that Mrs. MacDonald had always dreamed of. The story centered around a family that moved from Seattle, Washington to an island off the coast. The move was a life long dream of the mother, Betty MacDonald, but the rest of the family was not as happy about the move. When the MacDonalds got settled in, their misfortunes began. Every unlikely disaster that could befall a family seemed to happen to the MacDonalds, from leaky pipes to invading yellow jackets. After all of that, the discouraged MacDonalds decide that island life is not for them. The house is put up for sale. A woman, sent by a convalescent home to look at the house as a prospective new location, is the first and only person to look at the house. The MacDonalds try everything to make the woman decide to buy the house. They almost resort to lying when they all realize that the house means more to them than what they thought. The truth is made known about the disaster-ridden home and the woman thanks them for their frankness and promptly leaves with a swarm of yellow jackets not far behind. The story ends with Mr. and Mrs. MacDonald trying to relax after the ship full of sailors that their daughters invited arrives on the beach. 24 Drama Portfolio

Page 27 text:

Mousetrap Baits Viewers In London, The Mousetrap ran for thirty years and featured over 420 actors. In Pekin, The Mousetrap ran for three days and featured eleven actors. However, since Pekin is not measured by London professional theatre standards, Pekin’s Mousetrap was still a success. It is a murder mystery penned by Dame Agatha Christie; because it is still on its original run in London, it is obviously one of her best. As the houselights dimmed, the first sound the audience heard was a bloodcurdling scream, followed by the song “Three Blind Mice.” Then as the stage lit up, a radio announcer with a British accent began, “According to Scotland Yard officials, the crime took place at twenty-four Culver Street, Paddington ...” Whodunnit? Was it the childish, neurotic Christopher Wren, portrayed by Terry Bonnctte and Brian Gansmann? Or was the masculine Miss Casewcll, played by Dana Rush and Julie Carnegie, lying when she claimed innocence? Did Major Metcalf, brought to life by Todd Vignassi, know more than he was saying? Or was the innocent Mollie Ralston, portrayed by Gina Hcussncr, less innocent than she seemed? Was Giles Ralston, Rick Taylor, actually out in the country, or could he have been in the vicinity of twenty-four Culver Street? Wras the haughty Mrs. Boyle, played by Vicky Bartlett, a prospective victim or a prospective killer? How was the mysterious Mr. Paravicini (Jeff Schumm) involved? Detective Sergeant Trotter, enacted by John Knight, had to consider all those questions. Furthermore, his only clue was the nursery rhyme “Three Blind Mice.” The ending is pure Christie — surprise after surprise. In fact, only five percent of the audience polled at intermission had figured out the identity of the killer. That's the skill of Agatha Christie — she keeps the audience sniffing at the wrong cheese. A tired (.iles Ralston (Rick Taylor) listens to Mrs Boyle i Janice Bartley) compain about the cold trip to the guest house. Drama Portfolio 23

Page 29 text:

DRAMA With make-up and costume on. Ginny Buttram wails in the dressing room for her cue. Opposite Page. With her date due to arrive at any moment. Penny Petrow urges Dana Rush and Ryan Gerkin to move the freshly painted table because it’s “tacky. This time taking the shortcut across the beach was not such a good idea, as the sea weed-covered Terry Bonnette and Penny Petrow found out as a disgusted Rick Taylor looks on. Take a bow ... The play is over, and the cast responds to a curtain call. The island’s best plumber. Scott Lenaway. makes The morning after a “slumber” party can be dif- Dana Rush aware that her cross flanges look a little ficult. Freshmen Dawn Dulley and Penny Petrow weak. slowly crawl out of sleeping bags after a long night. Drama Portfolio 25