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BHS play from the heart

BY MALLORY GARDNER, Contributing writer | Wednesday, Nov 11 2009 06:15 PM

Last Updated Wednesday, Nov 11 2009 06:15 PM

BHS drama teacher Jacquie Thompson-Mercer was nowhere near Maine when she decided the 2010 fall play.

"We saw it at the Thespian Conference in Nebraska, and it just stuck with me. It was funny, sad and poignant and I thought, 'I want to direct this play,'" said Thompson-Mercer of Bakersfield High School's upcoming play, "Almost, Maine."

"The cast has already come a long way, but will come even further between now and opening night," Thompson-Mercer said.

"Almost, Maine," by John Cariani, is a romantic comedy filled with quirky characters the audience members find themselves relating to throughout the production. "It's about love," Thompson-Mercer said with a shrug. "But that doesn't mean guys wouldn't enjoy it. It's not like it's just a chick flick."

There are 18 cast members, all students at Bakersfield High.

"It's not a normal play with drama and huge theatrical characters," junior Brock Stone said. "It's really humanistic because it's dealing with something people struggle with every day, which is love. People can say, 'I went through that once' and leave the theater with a different view on relationships."

Stone said there are some new faces debuting on the Harvey stage. "A lot of people with raw talent," Stone said with a smile.

One of them is freshman Alice Verderber, who has been involved with theatrics before but is debuting on the Harvey stage. Verderber plays Marvalyn, a girl who ends up learning a lot about herself.

"This play will make the audience feel emotion," Verderber said. "The cast is bubbly; I'm the only girl freshman, but I feel right at home."

The cast is anxious to perform, especially Norma Camorlinga, a sophomore who is playing Rhonda but is also head of the painting crew. "We have a lot of different sets. I'm super, super excited; it'll be amazing!" Camorlinga said.

Emily Rizo, a junior at BHS and a frequent performer on the Harvey stage, expressed excitement for her character, Sandrine.

"She's having her bachelor party when she runs into her ex-boyfriend," Rizo said. "Expect lots of laughter and 'aww' moments. Each scene is a different story, but at the same time they're all connected."

She said that people should come see the production because it's different from most plays BHS has done in the past. "You won't stop being entertained," Rizo said.

Chelsea Fraley, a senior, is convinced that the audience will be entertained.

"It's a lot of fun. The audience should expect to see unexpected stories, and they won't be able to leave without a smile on their face," she said.

-- Mallory Gardner is a junior at Bakersfield High School