The stage was set and Prairie High School Drama Club students were ready in full makeup, but the audience looked a little different than pre-pandemic times. Groups of 10 were spread out around the auditorium in compliance with COVID-19 regulations.
The students performed what they called “Drama’s Rotten Showcase.” While the class did not set ticket prices, the group accepted donations, according to a news release.
Cast and crew members assembled the performance in about three months after a return from hybrid instruction in March back to full time in-person in April, states the release.
“We tried to approach this in a very low-stress way,” drama teacher Claire Verity stated in the release. “We tried to make it as minimal as possible, but still as polished as possible.”
Senior Becca McCormick didn’t mind going back to school after graduation to help with the show, states the release.
“I remember when I came up in drama as an underclassman and how the upperclassmen were good leaders to me,” McCormick stated in the release. “That’s how I got to be successful and so now I get to set a good example for the underclassmen.”
She hopes to continue her passion for show business by making it a career.
Actors for the Portland Center Stage read original plays written by McCormick and junior Neveah Warren. McCormick will also intern with the group this summer, states the release.
“Our seniors would have had no chance to perform without this,” Verity stated in the release. “So the ones that are able to stay are, I think, very happy to be here.”
Previous students in the program also found success during the pandemic, including two who were cast for roles on national television shows and another former student who landed a spot as a co-star, states the release.
The club held the performances on June 18 and June 19.
