Mutually Assured Destruction will soon hit WHS

In the midst of COVID- 19, the WHS fall play cast and director have recently started rehearsals for their upcoming show, Mutually Assured Destruction.

The play will take place at the high school on Saturday, Oct. 17 at 7 p.m., and Sunday, Oct. 18 at 2 p.m.

Students are currently rehearsing for an hour a week in pairs in director Joe Snyder’s classroom.

The cast is made up of many high school students including seniors Eren Overmyer, Emma Romano, Alaina Stukel, Emily Watson, Logan Casey, Noah Wilkins, Ben Kavanaugh, Stephanie Lambert, Gabrielle Mathus, and Ellen Dooley, Juniors Ashton Roge, Alana Halzle, Eileen Hall, and Michael Nutt.

The cast also features sophomores Tristen Doyle, Ella Cooper, and Bryce Jewell, and freshmen Mckayla Van Duyne, Emilia Williams, and Ava Cupples.

Mutually Assured Destruction is a comedy that features 10 short scenes showing the bond of brothers and sisters throughout different decades.

Each scene only contains two students, which allows the members to remain socially distanced.

Warren Miller, the high school’s art teacher, and the school’s AV club director will record the show using multiple cameras from different angles. “Unique challenges provide opportunity for creative thought, and through these ideas, solutions arrive,” commented Mr. Miller.

The director, Mr. Snyder, is hoping to have a minimal, in-person audience of around 40 people attend the performances, staying within the state’s guidelines.

“Students are still very excited and are working hard for it to be as best as possible under the circumstances,” Snyder said.

Ellen Dooley, a WHS senior, will be playing Virginia, a 16 year old from 1922. “It’s obviously disappointing to not pack the crowd, but it’s for the best interest and health of everyone,” commented Dooley.

She also said that as an actor she often feeds off the energy of the crowd, so she’s not sure what it will feel like with fewer people in the audience.

Gabrielle Mathus, also a senior, will be playing Evelyn, a girl who runs away from her own wedding and fakes her death. Mathus is glad that the delaying of football season created more time in her schedule, and allowed her to be involved in the fall play for the first time.

WHS senior, Emma Romano said, “I’m very thankful that we get to perform especially since this will be one of my final shows at WHS.”