Jekyll and Hyde cast prepares for Thespian Festival

Director of Theatre and Drama Club Adviser Rita McLary did not think she was going to get a follow up call, but when she did she was thrilled. “Jekyll and Hyde”, the play she had been directing, was chosen to be performed at the Michigan Thespian Festival, an event held for theater students.

After receiving the news of their performance, excitement spread like wildfire through the cast. They began counting down the days until the festival. They will perform Dec. 4-5.

“They called back with results,” McLary, the director, said. “Grand Haven was chosen as the only musical to perform at this year’s Thespian Festival, which is a huge honor, it’s like being the state champions.”

Any school is welcome to come to the shows and individual events and attend workshops. To perform you must be a member of the International Thespian Society, which is an association that recognizes the potential of high school and middle school theater participants. “Jekyll and Hyde” cast members are thrilled to perform at such a prestigious event.

Senior cast member Ryan Montgomery is excited about the opportunity.

“It is going to be an amazing once in a lifetime experience,” Montgomery said.

Michigan’s Thespian Festival is the largest theater event held in Michigan. There are around 100 different workshops students can choose from to attend, compete in individual events, audition for scholarships from colleges and universities, and visit information booths and theatrical events during the two days they are there.

“Jekyll and Hyde” cast member, senior Maize Converse is taking advantage of the opportunities Thespian Festival brings.

“I am super excited,” Converse said. “It is my third year going so I know what’s up.”

Their performance at Thespian Festival is a huge opportunity for students who want to continue with theater after high school. Colleges invest a lot of money into scholarships for the students who signed up to audition for their scholarships. Converse is participating in solo theater, and plans on taking monologues to Thespian Festival to try to get scholarships.

“I am performing in the Individual events and then in the scholarship,” Converse said. “I go up in front of judges and a group of people and I do a monologue. Then the next day I just go up in front of some judges and they see how good I am and a bunch of colleges are there to see how I do and they might offer me money.”

For this play the cast is changing the style of how they set up the stage. McLary planned on making a way for the stage to be more portable for the festival.

“We’re known for pretty elaborate and realistic sets,” McLary said. “But this time I chose not to approach it that way. I want something more representational, something that is maybe suggestive or symbolic rather than an actual complete location.”

The cast and McLary are excited for the festival and plan to take in all that it brings for them. For some of the cast it is just another year but for others it is going to be a new experience.

“It’s this incredible weekend,” McLary said. “With kids across the state that get the arts and get why it’s something that enhances our life.”