By Scott Caslow

On Friday, Nov. 1, the annual AHS fall play opens.  This year’s play, “The Late Great Me,” is a two act drama.  Actors have been preparing for over two months.  The play features a cast of nearly 40 students, and will run for approximately two hours.  Each performance starts at 7:30 p.m.

    With the play coming at the end of the week, director Terrence Shuman is concerned about the lighting system, which remains inoperative.  Still, he remains cautiously optimistic about the play.  Shuman, who is leaving his AHS teaching/directing position after this performance said, “Given all the issues, it was pretty fair.  It’s right about where it should be.”  Shuman also prompted other students to come, saying “All students should support other students in all activities.  This is our State; it’s our everything.”

Senior AHS student Cassidy Elem said she would definitely come if she didn’t have to work.  Students from other school districts are encouraged to come as well.  Griswold senior Allison Young said, “I was truly amazed when I saw Atlantic’s last drama.  I never knew a high school cast could do that.”

    Among the 40 students who  make up the cast, almost half are freshmen.  Shuman wants to incorporate more people into the play because of the large group of seniors.  One of the first-time freshman actors, Corgan Petersen, said, “My friends influenced me to go out, and I love acting.  I just saw the play yesterday, and it’s quite interesting.  I’m glad I’m in it.”

Several actors in “The Late Great Me” still refer to their scripts on stage, something senior Tom Stinn, who has had a lead role in each of his four years as a high school actor commented on.  Stinn said, “I’m looking forward to opening night.  I feel like we should have had a no-script practice before this week though.”  Stinn spends approximately 15 minutes every night reviewing his lines and working on his performance.

This year is a first for Atlantic theater to include Walnut students. Walnut had their own theater group every year until now.  This year, most Walnut students attend AHST, but some have open-enrolled to Atlantic as full-time students.  Brianna Kixmiller is one of the Walnut transfers who will make her debut on the Atlantic stage:“It’s a big change.  There’s a lot more people here.  In Walnut we never did clothing, costume, or set changes.  This is much more in-depth.”