With the start of the 2024 fall semester, OHS theatre performed “Arsenic and Old Lace” in the Black Box Theatre Sept. 19 through Sept. 21. This dark comedy directed by John Davenport, OHS Theatre teacher, tells the story of two aunts, Abby and Martha Brewster, and their murderous but comedic pastime.
“Arsenic and Old Lace” is a classic play written in 1939 by Joseph Kes- selring. The plot of the play is based on sisters Martha and Abby Brewster who murder lonely old men to do society a favor as other characters run around the scene, each with a different motivation.
“Well, interestingly enough, this play is a famous old play, very much a classic,” Davenport said. “But over the years that I’ve been here, which is nearly 25, this is the one play that’s often been requested by our audiences. I was looking for a small cast comedy to start the season in the Black Box Theatre, and I had recently reread “Arsenic and Old Lace” in the early part of the summer. It fits well with the theme that we created. We choose shows thematically for the season, and this season’s theme is about family and family issues. This to me was just the best way to start with something that’s fun, quirky, and odd.”
Davenport put his cast on a timely schedule, practicing and running lines each day from 7:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. During these rehearsals, students run their lines and participate in blocking, where each cast member is given lines, stage directions, and physical acting directions.
“We come in, and we’ll have a schedule,” senior director Ann Hunter Bigham said. “So one night, we’ll be doing scenes one through three. And for the entire two and a half hours, we’ll just work on those scenes. We’ll learn those three scenes and just run them over and over until 9:30 hits, and we work the entire time. It’s always so fun.”
The play takes place in a single two-story set, the Brewster home. Mortimer Brewster attempts to hide his aunts’ unsettling secret while another nephew, Jonathan Brewster, plots with Dr. Einstein to keep their plans a secret from the rest of their family. Cast members include Sebas-
tian Pfrenger, Tri Homan, Madalyn Sullivan, Oliver Wymer, Mary Elena Hale, Will Winkle, Sophia Doyle, Evan Knight, Max Smith, Gabby Nocentino, and Steven Wilkins.
“This is my first show with Mr. Davenport, but he actually helped me progress at the auditions,” Wymer said. “On the very first day of auditions, I read for two people. I read for Jonathan and then I read for Mortimer. I thought I did bad on Mortimer, but great on Jonathan. But then the next day when I got called back, he had me read for Mortimer, and then he gave me a piece of advice, to act a certain way. I did as he asked, and then he just had me keep reading for Mortimer over and over.”
The casting process of a play is one of Davenport’s proudest strengths. When casting for a play, Davenport takes in consideration how the character should act and sound, and then bases his choice off of who fits the role best.
“Casting is only part of the entire process that I’m confident in knowing that I do correctly,” Davenport said. “I think it’s from my experience here, this is around my 128th show with the high school. I have learned how to tailor characters to the students’ abilities so that they shine. In the casting process, what I’m looking for is someone who is closest to what I see for the character, or someone who is going to give me something brand new that changes my mind on the character. It’s really easy for me to hear that in an audition, especially when we get to callbacks and we’re practicing together. It’s not easy to cast it, but it is a fun challenge.”
