Not long after the winter show premiered, the LSB Players have already started preparing for their spring play, Eurydice. Based off of the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, the story follows two kids as they grow closer through the years and their love is put to the test time and time again. The audience will experience a multitude of emotions, both good and bad, as they watch the story brought to life in a new aspect. It is similar to the musical Hadestown but it shows a different perspective of the story.

Auditions were held the week after the song cycle show and participants signed up for a slot via google doc. There were two days available with four time slots each, and the students were in groups of seven kids to do the read-throughs. Because of the ongoing pandemic, it was conducted over Google Meet but the callbacks, posted Thursday morning, were held in person Thursday afternoon. All necessary precautions were taken to ensure the safety of the students. The pandemic also made it difficult to have a large cast, and so there will be a double cast. Each cast has the same practice schedule and the final show times are split between the two groups. This arrangement allows for more students to be involved while still keeping the distance needed to stay apart. 

Playing an interesting role in the show, Celeste Caseria provided some insights about the production in its early stages. The group is preparing to hold the show outside, similar to the fall play, but this time with a grand set and extravagant designs. The students, like Caseria, are really excited to be able to put on this production together because of the story line and diverse personalities of each character. In the early stages they are experimenting with different emotions and portrayals to find ways to entertain the audience while still staying true to the frame of the story. Caseria is also very excited to present the musical scenes and upbeat changes they’ve made which enhance the love between Orpheus and Eurydice. “This show has a lot of twists and turns so I would strongly encourage anyone who’s interested to come see it!”

Some students play “stones” in the production, like Grace Grandprey. Nothing in the Underworld is as it seems, not even the seemingly inanimate objects. The stones are actually like annoying, taunting children who are opposed by Eurydice’s presence and will do anything to make her leave Hadestown, so really their intentions are not that bad. Grandprey explains that the main conflict of the story is how Eurydice is trapped in the Underworld while Orpheus tries to find and save her. The stones are a comical presence who taunt Eurydice. But there is so much more to the story that the audience will have to see for themselves in the spring! For the time being, members of both casts are working very hard and very passionately, they want to convey a feeling of inspiration to those watching with their acting and enlighten them with the modernized story. It will also leave them with a few things to think about and messages to ponder afterwards. “I’m really excited for everything, just working with everyone on this project is so fun and I hope the audience loves it!” said Grandprey. 

Playing another stone is Joey Schmidt-Gross. They expressed the different sentiments they’ve been feeling while preparing for the show. “The main thing that kept me going through the past few years was this amazing group that we have and how close we are. I’m so glad we get to spend time together and do what we love but still stay safe because of the pandemic.” For Joey and many others, it was a rough transition last year when all activities and classes were cancelled to ensure the safety of the students and staff, but working together again on this production has brought them a lot of the same comfort they felt in years prior. Performing during the pandemic has drastically changed the way the actors think about their acting and how they execute those same emotions of togetherness while still being quite far apart. They also feel that the modernized version of the show will change how some audience members feel about different aspects of their own lives. “Our culture is very death-denying and I think that this show might change how people feel about it in some ways.” 

For students like Celeste, Grace, and Joey, the theatre troupe is more than just a hobby or after-school activity. It’s a big part of their life that allows them to express themselves. They hope the audience will appreciate their hard work in the spring and watch them perform.

Come See the Show! May 7th-9th.