This past weekend, Ascension Episcopal School put on the annual fall play: Artist Retreat. At first, I can admit that most students were a bit skeptical, as not much information can be found about the play online, and it is a very new production written partially by high school students. However, after auditions and casting, students involved in Artist Retreat grew to love the show and immerse themselves in the characters.
Artist Retreat is a quirky, comedic play about a dancer, Mother Dee, housing young artists rent-free. Upon realizing she is running low on financial resources, she seeks to withdraw money from her parents’ trust fund, but cannot without starting a business. The audience watches as each of the artists attempt and fail to launch their own ideas of a business plan and they realize that, above all, artistic connection and real experience will always be more important than money.
Because this play had so few interpretations, each of the characters were created with a combination of the actors’ interpretations and the help of Mr. McClymont, our director. For example, I had a really difficult time understanding Penny’s (my character) character development at first, because her character relies heavily on a transition from serious and no-nonsense to carefree and kind. My personal interpretation of Penny came largely from my own personality as well as the acting techniques I am familiar with and past characters I have played, such as Ms. Norbury in last year’s musical, Mean Girls.
This show was my first play with Ascension Episcopal School. I have been in many musicals, but never took interest in a play, so I joined Artist Retreat on a whim. I didn’t expect how fun the experience would be, and how strongly I could bond with the other cast members. Although I have been involved consistently in musicals throughout my life, I realized participating in a play should never be devalued, as I consistently saw each of my friends improve their acting skills as the show progressed.
Watching each of the cast members grow both as people and performers was an irreplaceable experience. I made friends with people I didn’t expect to get along with, realized more of my potential, and became super excited for the upcoming spring musical. I can’t wait to work with these wonderful people again and hopefully see some new faces.
If you are considering joining an Ascension Episcopal School theater production, you should. There are so many great people and possibilities for you to grow and get involved.