The curtain has called and our students at GRC have been working hard. This weekend, students will be performing “The Greek Mythology Olympiaganza”, a comedy dedicated to covering the ins and outs of Greek mythology.
“The play is about any manner of Greek myth, within reason, that anyone could think of,” the play’s director Mr. Lawwill said. “It highlights four Greek heroes, including Hercules, Jason, Atalanta, and Orpheus, all of which are huge cornerstones in Greek mythology and storytelling.”
GRC is well known for the musicals we put on during the spring. However, this play provides students with an opportunity to showcase their talents in a different format.
“A lot of what we do is centered around music with the musicals, and it’s centered around Cohort, which not everyone is in,” one of the play’s Narrator 2 Jillian Ison said. “It allows students who don’t want to dance and sing to be on stage.”
Playing Narrator 1, Audrey Kohler said she enjoys seeing students that specialize in acting rather than singing get to shine.
“Musicals aren’t for every actor or every potential audience member,” she said. “It’s good that we are branching out.”
Theater can sometimes be intimidating and time-consuming, so providing lighter opportunities for students to get involved is a crucial step in maintaining a successful theater program.
“I want to give different students a chance at the stage and learning skills they otherwise wouldn’t be able to refine,” Lawwill said. “It’s just giving kids an entry-level position into performance on stage. We chose a comedy because comedies are generally more approachable for performers and audiences.”
Also performing as Narrator 1, Rory Jinkerson said the audience will love the jokes and funny storytelling within the show.
“I don’t usually like a lot of comedic content for the musicals or plays I have done in the past, but I really like this one,” Jinkerson said. “I can’t wait to share that joy and laughter with the audience.”
Many stories in Greek mythology are widely known and reenacted, but Kohler said the play covers many stories in a way that provides entertainment for everyone.
“It’s unlike anything GRC has done in recent history,” she said. “Each story is humorously modernized and oversimplified. So, even if you’ve heard these stories a million times before, it’s still fresh.”
Since the school’s musical is usually in the spring, most students don’t get the chance to perform during the fall, so this play has provided them with the chance to act and showcase their talents earlier in the year.
“It’s an opportunity to use my time wisely before I would have to study hard for AP exams,” Riley Sadler, who shares the role of Narrator 2, said.
“The Greek Mythology Olympiaganza” will be performed on Friday at 6:30, Saturday at 2:30 and 6:30, and Sunday at 2:30. Admission is free, but donations will be accepted.
“Think of Greek Mythology and put it on 300mg of caffeine and sugar,” Sadler said. “That’s ‘The Greek Mythology Olympiaganza’ for you.”
