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Reilly Rose Schombs, Denis Hartnett and Emma McMahon during a rehearsal of the Pierson High School production of "Arsenic and Old Lace" in the school auditorium on Monday, 11/16/15. Michael Heller photo.[/caption]
By Annette Hinkle
This weekend, Pierson High School will present “Arsenic and Old Lace,” the 1941 black comedy by Joseph Kesselring. Last Friday after school, Pierson was humming with activity and as the cast did a run through of the play with director Keith Holden.
Set in 1939, the black comedy tells the story of Martha and Abbey Brewster, two spinsters who poison old men when they show up at their doorstep to inquire about a room to rent.
“We poison them with wine and bury them in our cellar,” explains senior Emma McMahon who plays Martha. “The ladies feel sorry for the old men and we think they’ll be better off if they’re dead. We ask them their religion so we can give them a full service when they’re dead.”
Also living in the house is Teddy, Martha and Abbey’s crazy nephew who happens to think he’s Teddy Roosevelt. Fortunately, he’s currently busy digging the Panama Canal in the basement of the house so the old ladies have a convenient place to bury their victims. They also hide them in the window seat in the living room and that’s where another sane nephew, Mortimer (played by senior Denis Hartnett) discovers with horror, what his sweet old aunts are up to.
“I’m trying to work it out so when they get caught they don’t go to jail. I also want them to stop killing people,” explains Mr. Hartnett. “They don’t think what they’re doing is wrong. It’s like one of their charities to society. Everyone from the outside sees these sweet old ladies who would never harm a fly.”
“The aunts are great friends with all the policeman who are always popping over for a cup of tea,” adds Ms. McMahon.
“There’s so much physical comedy,” adds Mr. Hartnett. “There are 12 bodies in the basement we never see, and one or 2 on the stage at any one time.”
Complicating the situation even further is the presence of Mortimer’s fiancé Elaine Harper (played by senior Oona Baker), who is being kept in the dark about the aunts criminal behavior. All she can see is that Mortimer is pushing her away, and she doesn’t understand why.
“I live next door and I’m the minister’s daughter,” explains Ms. Baker. “My character just loves Mortimer so much, he takes her to the theater every night, she’s used to being with people her father sets her up with who are religious. I never give up and always come back.”
Capturing the essence of the characters in this play can be tricky for some of these young actors, particularly for Ms. McMahon has been working hard to channel her inner octogenarian.
“I’ve really been working on my walk,” she admits. “I played an old lady in the last play as well, so I’m used to the gray hair but I’m working on sounding old without sounding British.
“Last year I played an old lady too,” laughs Mr. Hartnett who won a Teeny Award for his role of Lady Bracknell in Oscar Wilde’s “The Importance of Being Ernest.”
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Set designer Hannah Cook works with (standing left to right) Eve Bishop (11th grade), Meg Atkinson Barnes (12th grade), Ella Parker (11th), Michelle Rinaldi (12th). A. Hinkle photo.[/caption]
On Friday while the cast was working through the play on the Pierson stage, downstairs there was another sort of theater going on as a group of students worked with Pierson alum Hannah Cook on designing the set for “Arsenic and Old Lace.”
Ms. Cook, a graduate of Muhlenberg College in Pennsylvania, is a professional set designer and she came back to her alma mater to lead this workshop thanks to a grant from the Reutershan Trust.
“Last year during Addams Family, [director] Paula Brannon brought Hannah in to do a props workshop,” explains the play’s producer and Pierson art teacher Elizabeth Marchisella. “[Art teacher] Peter Solow said we’ll make it an official workshop for every show now.”
As Ms. Cook discussed color choices, architectural elements and appropriate furnishings that relate to the action and characters in “Arsenic and Old Lace,” each of the students folded and cut pieces of cardboard to make their own miniature sets of the final design.
Ms. Marchisella notes that having a professional on hand to oversee the design and construction of the set has been very helpful and removes a good deal of stress associated with the production. Through the workshop, the students have learned a great deal about what goes into the process of good set design.
“They weren’t allowed to look at any sets that had been done for this show previously. They had to look at the script and make their own decisions,” says Ms. Marchisello. “They read the play and the cast came in to talk about their roles. They felt the set should be bright because it is a comedy.”
Ms. Cook pointed out to the student that the action of the play calls for both a staircase and a window seat so those two elements are vital for inclusion in the design. She also called on the students for their input on decorative choices like wall colors and furnishings.
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The set in miniature. A. Hinkle photo.[/caption]
“I feel like I’ve come back here a lot,” says Ms. Cook. “I did my first set design back when I was a student at Pierson. I had no idea what I was doing. I told the man who was working on the set with me that he was wrong. Now I’m back and know what I’m doing. When I went to college I realized what he said was right.”
Beyond teaching these students a bit of the basics of set design, the workshop is also a way to illustrate that not every role in a theater production is about being center stage.
“I did the theater program in middle school, but acting is not my thing,” admits Eve Bishop, a junior. “I like contributing without having to be on stage.”
“I took an architectural workshop last year hosted by Mr. Solow,” adds junior Ella Parker. “But this is about implementing a narrative. With the play you have to stay true to the show. I’m glad Hannah came in to help.”
Pierson High School’s production of “Arsenic and Old Lace” runs Thursday and Friday at 7 p.m. and Saturday at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Tickets are on sale at the main office of the school, 200 Jermain Avenue, Sag Harbor.
