Arrows flew across the Haldane stage during the middle school production of “The Rise of Robin Hood.” The show follows Robin Hood’s adventurous childhood with his twin sister, Hazel, and took place on Friday, April 17, and Saturday, April 18.
Seventh grader Cyrus Henricksen, who played Sir Divvy, a guard for the Sheriff of Nottingham, said, “The show is going well, we are all off-book.” For non-theatre enthusiasts, off-book refers to the actor fully memorizing their lines and cues, and is a major part of getting ready for the show. Henricksen also said that “the audience should be excited for the well-crafted lines.”
The rehearsal process started in the last week of January, and auditions were the week before that. Eighth grader Parker Fyfe, who played Maid Marian, the sheriff ’s daughter, noted that the cast did a first read-through and then went into blocking (rehearsal of the movements of the play) in early February. She said, “I have gotten to know many people who share the same passion for the performing arts as I do.” The cast is around 32 people and ranges from sixth grade to eighth grade. Fyfe also said, “It has been a wonderful experience, and I am so proud of the entire cast and crew.”
Many different cast members discussed how comforting the cast was. Seventh grader Lucy Merriman, who plays Marian’s mother, also said something about the cast, “The show was really fun, I got to be with my friends and the cast was really great.” Seventh grader Sawyer McCarthy, who plays Robin Hood, a traveler who steals from the rich, said,“My favorite part of the Robin Hood rehearsal process was hanging out with my friends.”
McCarthy, who performed in the high school’s production of “Les Misérables” as Garvoche, said this about being in both productions: “It felt good, I became friends with a lot of high schoolers, and it was really fun. I really enjoyed both my roles, and I can’t wait to do my next show.” The high school production of “Les Misérables” took place in March and was a sold-out run, the first in Haldane Drama history. Merriman said, “I want to thank Ms. Isabella for directing a great show.”
