Students are putting on an ensemble production this Friday and Saturday (June 18 and 19), at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. on both days
In a normal school year, the Prairie High School Drama Club would have put a wrap on their season in May, exiting stage right long before the end of the school year.
Things are a bit different this year, with the students putting on an ensemble production this Friday and Saturday (June 18 and 19), at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. on both days. While they can’t say exactly what the play is, they’re calling it “Drama’s Rotten Showcase.” Tickets must be reserved by contacting drama teacher Claire Verity by email. There is no set price for tickets, but donations are greatly appreciated. Groups will be separated into no more than 10 people, with up to two families per group, to comply with pandemic health and safety regulations.
The cast and crew gave it their all in a short time, as high school students returned for hybrid instruction in March and full-time in April.
“We tried to approach this in a very low stress way,” Verity said. “We tried to make it as minimal as possible, but still as polished as possible.”
Despite having to stick around the school longer than she normally would have, senior Becca McCormick said she was happy to have the chance to help out with the production.
“I remember when I came up in drama as an underclassman how the upperclassmen were good leaders to me,” McCormick said. “That’s how I got to be successful, and so now I get to set a good example for the underclassmen.”
McCormick is hopeful about her own career in show business. She was one of two Prairie High School drama students, along with junior Neveah Warren, to have an original play read by actors at Portland Center Stage, and she’ll be moving on to an intern role with the group this summer.
As proud as she was of having her play chosen for the festival, McCormick said she is “even more proud that I was set up for success in terms of networking and being able to flourish locally after graduation.”
This week’s performances are special for Verity and many of the students, even if it meant working beyond the end of the school year. “Our seniors would have had no chance to perform without this,” she said. “So the ones that are able to stay are, I think, very happy to be here.”
Verity said they’ve had a lot of success despite the pandemic. Two of her former students recently landed roles on national television shows and another booked a recurring co-star role on another program.
Information provided by Battle Ground School District.
