Just in time for Halloween, 40 MICDS fifth and sixth graders, along with two seventh graders, produced the fifth and sixth-grade play, How to Get Away with a Murder Mystery by Don Zolidis. The students’ hard work was taken to the stage this past Friday to Sunday, October 25-27, in Freeman Theatre. And what a thrill their production was!
What’s the synopsis of the play?
From Playscripts: Five mysterious color-coded guests. A mansion. A murder. Can the killer get away with it? And how will the sleuths bring them to justice? A handy guide for how to escape the law when you just happen to be a prime suspect of a mysterious murder. Told in vignettes in a style similar to 10 Ways To Survive The Zombie Apocalypse, this show hilariously skewers the tropes of the murder mystery: an airtight alibi, a long-winded monologue by a detective with an accent, an impossibly complicated Rube Goldberg murder device? Check, check, and check!
Students began rehearsing for this clever play in September under the direction of Debra Mein, Middle School Drama Teacher. Most of the cast rehearsed once a week after school and those on the crew team participated in “Techie Tuesdays” where they worked every Tuesday on creating the costumes, designing the set, and perfecting the sound and lighting in their behind-the-scenes roles. Finally, at the end of October, everything was ready for them to showcase the finalized play through four performances including a performance for their peers during the school day.
The play was well-executed, entertaining, and captivating for all who attended. The student tech team rose to the challenge, from the running crew moving furniture on and off to the students in the booth running lights and sound. The actors and actresses had the audience hooked with many on the edge of their seats trying to figure out how someone can possibly get away with a murder mystery. Download the play’s program here.
Several of the play’s participants took time to share about their experiences in this stirring production.