Hear Ye, Hear Ye, The Fall Drama Production is in Progress!

By Jess Mellen
Photo credit; Lawrence Bickford

“What happens when princesses stop being kind, and start being real?” That is one of the many questions asked in the dialogue of The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon, this year’s fall theater production at the Hopkinton Middle High School. The play touches upon many well-known fairy tales, as well as not so widely known stories. Simple, right? The catch, however, is that all of the stories, 209 of them, in fact, are being combined into a single large ‘super story’. "It's a satire of both the Grimm fairy tales and many aspects of today's society." Ned Yonkers, one of the actors said. "It's hosted by two quirky narrators and performed by a cast of goofy actors."

Not too much will be given away about the production’s plot here, but the story itself is narrated by two very different narrators, played by Maddie Cairns and Yonkers, both seniors this school year. Maddie plays a rather serious narrator who wants to stick to the stories, while Ned is her energetic counterpart who wants everything to be ‘extreme’. They by far have the biggest parts of the play, often in charge of vocal cues that let the other characters know when to come on stage. What's it like playing such a big part? "It seems overwhelming at first, but with practice it gets less stressful." Yonkers explained. Both narrators were requested for interviews, but only Yonkers was available.

The production doesn’t open for its two-night run until November 18^th, but rehearsals are already in full swing. Between twenty and thirty high school students from all four grades practice various roles and scenes nearly every weeknight, whether it be practicing scenes for the first time, reviewing dialogue, or working to improve trouble spots in their acting. The actors also assist parent volunteers and their director, Ms. Amy Beth Gelineau, with set construction and costume assembly.

When the show finally opens, it is sure to be a fun experience for everyone. But be warned, this isn’t a cute Disney movie, so audience members should be aware that there are lines of adult humor throughout the play. If you would like to see the show, it’s on November 18^th and 19^th at 7:00pm in the Hopkinton High School Auditorium. Admission prices are $7 if tickets are bought in advance or $8 at the door. Seniors and children under twelve have a discount of $4 if bought in advance or $5 at the door. Tickets are not yet on sale, but will be sometime in the coming weeks. The show is expected to be at least two hours long, but could be longer.

The final question remaining is, do the actors think they’ll be ready in time? "Only time will tell." Yonkers concluded.