Jude Magnotti ‘26
EE Staff Writer
Who did it? The thief? The lawyer? The chef??? Whichever one it is, only one fact remains true: eccentric billionaire J. Leslie Arlington has been murdered at his birthday party and it is up to Detective Casey Neptune (played by Caitlin Kelly) and the extremely handsome and charismatic butler Warwick (played by Jacob Chaffee) to solve this thrilling mystery.
This is the premise of Trumbull High School’s student-directed fall play: The Alibis. Directors and students alike have been hard at work putting together this production since the beginning of the year. With a very limited schedule of 2 rehearsals a week, and 2 months to put together the show, the actors have had little time to perfect their craft. Despite this, the students involved (both cast and crew) have been unphased by the lack of rehearsals.
“We have been working really hard even with the limited rehearsals and lack of time to prepare,” says student-actor Eli Clark, “I personally have had to work very hard when it comes to memorizing my lines and putting emotions and it’s been tough, but I can definitely say it’s been worth it”.
With most of the production done, the Thespians go into an extremely important tech week leading up to their play. Tech week (the week leading up to a show where there is normally rehearsals every day) is essential in getting the production ready for audiences.
Throw in the fact that students have to balance rehearsals every day with school, and tech week is normally one of the most dreaded times of the year for a Thespian. However, the result that comes out of tech week is always worth it. Once a show is finished, students are able to experience the magic that comes with being on stage. Students become their characters and put on a true spectacle for both the audience and themselves.
Unfortunately, nothing good can come without first facing adversity and challenges. Many students can feel overwhelmed by the magnitude of a show, and the pressure that comes with being on stage and performing for a group of people. Even those who love acting can face serious nerves leading up to a show.
“Preparing is scary because of the deadlines, the amount of work you have to put in, and how serious you have to be about all of it, along with being on stage and fears of forgetting lines, messing up a scene, etc.”, said student-actor Hiro DeCiccio. “It is very unnerving and can definitely stress you out”.
As we see, not everything involved in preparing for a play can be easy. However, it is the perseverance and resilience that students develop preparing for a show that can help them significantly in life. As someone who is in the play myself, I can say for certain that we have a very special group of people involved in the production. Each and every individual dedicates him/herself to having a great rehearsal/show every night.
People are kind and frequently help others achieve that same level of success when they are on the stage. Whether it is our selfless student directors, or our wonderful advisor Ms. Spillane, we students feel confident that we can put on a phenomenal performance for the school no matter what!
“The Alibis is unlike any show I’ve ever seen or been a part of”, says senior Jacob Chaffee. “It has the vibe of Knives Out with the humor of Scooby-Doo with performances from fantastic actors”.
You have seen the posters, you have heard the whispers, and there is only one thing on everybody’s mind: Who really killed J. Leslie Arlington, and why? Come to Trumbull High School on November 3rd and 4th to find out, for the answer, might not be what you all quite expect.