When the lights came up on the set of “Still Life with Iris,” the audience was transported to a whacky, nocturnal world where memories are tied to your jacket and lady bugs only have their spots if the painter can find their supplies. In this world, known as Noctournum, everything happens under the gentle light of the moon. The main character, Iris, and her community are responsible for making everything you see in the world — ladybugs, fog, leaves, flowers — and the rising and setting of the moon and sun just to name a few.
Although Iris’ world is one full of whimsy and a peaceful community, one thing is missing — her father. Iris’ father was responsible for setting the moon and raising the sun until one night when he never came home and the sun didn’t rise. A baby then, Iris is now a spunky teen left with the unanswered question of where he went and why. Iris, who is known for her uncanny ability to find missing things, can’t let go of it.
One night, a strange man, who calls himself Mister Matternot, knocks on her front door. He says she has been selected to live with “the Goods,” a pair of infamous collectors that live on an isolated island nearby. On this island, there is only the best of everything — the best note on a piano, the best shoe of a pair, the best drop of water, and so on. Although Iris does not want to take on this new life, the man tricks her into relinquishing her jacket, and, thereby, her memories.
Ingeniously, the play swaps out one actress for another to visually represent the extremity of the loss of Iris’ jacket. In her new life on the Goods’ island, the “new” Iris can’t remember anything about her past life except for a feeling of discontent and disconnection. A button she keeps in a worn leather bag is all that she has to connect her to her past life, but will it be enough to reconnect her with her missing memories?
Soon, Iris discovers that life on the Goods’ island has come to a standstill and she is very lonely. Iris’ wishing powers, however, prove stronger than anticipated in this strange place, and soon companions appear. With new friends, pirate captain Annabel Lee and young composer Mozart, Iris is newly inspired to pursue her freedom. After a series of coincidental discoveries made through an exploration of the island, Iris and her friends uncover the extent of the Goods’ “collection,” discovering hundreds of discarded jackets and reuniting many people with their lost memories.
Last to recover their jacket is Mister Matternot, who, it turns out, (spoiler alert!) is Iris’ missing father. Reunited, Iris, her mother and her father return to Noctournum and restore the peace that had become chaos in their absence.
The students brought these wonderful characters and their wacky world to life through lively and hilarious performances. Smiles and laughter after the conclusion of the show surely meant it was as much fun for Class 7 to perform as it was to watch. The set reflected the silliness of the play with rainbow colors and signs pointing towards destinations like “Cloud factory,” “fish school” and “bird assembly.” There were also characters named Mister Otherguy and Mister Himtoo. Head of Middle School Arts Integration and Drama teacher Lindsay Quinn led this wonderful production with MS actors delivering a moving performance. Congratulations to the actors, tech and build crews who brought this show to life!
The Upper School actors took audiences back to the Roaring Twenties and Chicago’s Jazz Age with Chicago, a musical following two alleged murderesses as they vie for their freedom and the media spotlight. Velma, a vaudeville performer with some fame in the Windy City, is accused of the double homicide of her sister and husband. Roxie, a housewife married to a mechanic named Amos, is arrested after allegedly shooting and killing her lover, Fred Casely. When hotheaded Roxie arrives in the Cook County jailhouse, she realizes just how much trouble she’s gotten herself into. Looking for sympathy and advice she begs the warden, Mama Morton, and Velma, the resident star, for help and soon discovers her way out and a taste for the front page.
Mama Morton has a way of making just about anything possible, if the price is right. With her help, Roxie finds herself the new client of the well-known criminal defense attorney Billy Flynn — that is if she and Amos can find $5,000. The story unfolds in a series of glittering jazz numbers and emotional outbursts from the fiery murderesses, each willing to do anything for a spot on the front page of the city’s newspapers, to escape capital punishment and return to the stage.
Guided by Billy Flynn’s masterful media manipulation, Roxie charms the newspaper reporters and becomes intoxicated by her sudden celebrity status. Velma, who has been edged out of the spotlight, becomes desperate to get that life back, pitching ideas to Billy for a turn on the stand and a spot in her former double act show to Roxie, who scoffs at the desperation. Soon thereafter, both Velma and Roxie are reminded that sensation is all Chicago cares about when both are cast aside with the news of a new scandalous murder in town.
Roxie and Velma perform a duet “I Am My Own Best Friend,” before Roxie ingeniously fakes a pregnancy to regain the spotlight. The musical builds as we follow Roxie’s trial and — just as the jury announces her verdict — another high profile murder steals the spotlight once again. Realizing she was wrong to turn down Velma’s offer to join her show, Chicago closes with the opening of their brand new double-act.
Our US actors brought this show to life with their vibrant performances and laugh-out-loud comedic delivery. Each member of the cast contributed something special to the production and performed brilliantly. Backstage, the Tech Crew enhanced the magic of the show, and the Build Crew crafted another fantastic theatrical experience. Congratulations to everyone on a wonderful show!
STILL LIFE WITH IRIS by Steven Dietz Cast List:
Vesper Andrus
Margot Bardeen
Sevy Dinstein
Angela Du
Cameron Gough
Tara Kanodia
Max Lack
Emma Lautersztein-Chamoles
Arabella Lyon
Camila Mercado
Beatrice Pressman
Kai Robinson
Hayley Song
Chicago: The Musical by Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse
Cast List:
Alesandra Poso
Hayden del Valle
Xi Shillingford
CB Black
Evangeline Mujica
Celestine Deaton
Izzy Emrich
Lexi Blackson
Bella Miraflores
Aleah Rosenberg
Emma Sawabini
Katie Willinge
Jojo Charles
Sanaya Kardar
Claudia Morcate-Martin
Axya Ofosu-Mensah
Matilda Party
Isabella Saenz
Nora Adekoye
Serena Cattani
Sydney del Valle
Tabitha Orange
Haley Zhang
Tech Crew:
Lucia Villegas-Vernet
Zoe Jones
Olivia Song
Nina Murray
Lucy Corcoran
Samira Chhabra
Francine Joerg
Geo Murray
Courtney Pellegrino
Build Crew:
Nora Adekoye
Lucy Corcoran
Celestine Deaton
Jade Mena
Nina Murray
Isabella Saenz
Tabitha Orange
Julia Ropiak-Emmanuel
Cadence Sewell
Olivia Song
Lucia Villegas-Vernet
Haley Zhang
