Tualatin High School’s theater department has begun work on its newest production. April 23 through May 2 at 7 p.m., Eurydice will be showing in the TuHS auditorium. Members of the backstage crew and actors alike have been preparing for the new show by prepping the stage and auditioning for roles. Admission is set at $10.
The story follows a young woman named Eurydice who falls in love with a boy named Orpheus. Eurydice’s father writes letters to Eurydice from the underworld, and the lord of the underworld finds these letters and decides that he wants Eurydice to come to the underworld to be with him.
Senior student and actor Jacobi Esparza said, “It’s going to be a great show. Not too long, but it’s going to have plenty of emotional beats that audiences are going to eat up.”
As of press time, auditions have just started but are seeing smooth progress.
The story will be set in an American city in the 1950s. Director and theater teacher Jayne Welch said, “The director (of Eurydice) does give a lot of very specific directing notes, but a lot of it can be interpreted however you want because you can make the set however you want, and you can make the costumes and characters however you like. I’m interpreting it very much as a story of grief and love and how love can sometimes be the downfall into grief.”
Esparza and Welch both shared their reasons for doing theater.
“As I got older, I grew to love acting, but it was more for creating the art for the community and seeing how it brings people together,” Welch said.
Esparza had similar notes.
“I like making an audience feel something, whether it be funny or moved or scared or uncomfortable. It’s fun to be someone you’re not.” He paused. “Or in my case, be someone I am.”
The backstage crew also has a large part to play. The backstage coordinator, senior Leo Cowley, has mentioned how challenging it has been to juggle the responsibilities of being present at rehearsals and being a full IB student while holding a job. With that in mind, Cowley mentioned that theater has given them a “wider view on people’s lives.”
Light designer Wesley Whaples is excited to work with shadows and the interpretive script that allows him to choose what he likes with lighting design. Whaples shared his thoughts on why he joined the theater.
“It’s a great way to express yourself. It’s a great way to tell stories and learn lessons, and show other people different stories, and overall, I think it’s just a great community.”
With the theater department hard at work, it is hard not to encourage viewing the show for yourself. With admission so low, it might be a good idea to go out and support the creatives within Tualatin High School.
