
Theater
Upcoming Events
2021 Fall Play - Puffs: Or Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic and Magic by Matt Cox
The St. Mark's Theater Department is proud to announce the LIVE presentation of the annual Fall Play, directed by Chris Kent, on Wednesday, November 17, Thursday, November 18, and Friday, November 19, in the Black Box Theatre at 7:00 p.m.
The Puffs: Or Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic and Magic by Matt Cox
This clever and inventive play gives the audience a new look at “seven increasingly eventful years at a certain school of magic and magic” from the perspective of three potential heroes just trying to make it through a magic school that proves to be very dangerous for children. Alongside them are the Puffs, a group of well-meaning, loyal outsiders with a thing for badgers. Their hilariously heartfelt and epic journey takes the classic story to new places and reimagines what a boy wizard hero can be.
How to attend?
Please email Mr. Kent: christopherkent@stmarksschool.org to reserve tickets (It's free!).
Masks Required for all audience members.
All visitors should adhere to the St. Mark’s visitor policy.
There is limited seating (100 lucky people) available each night. Preference will be given to people who reserve seats in advance. Students, please sign out via Orah and alert your Dorm Head/Duty Faculty before you attend.
Notice: Strobe Lights will be used in the production. This play contains profanity.
Please arrive on time. NO LATE ADMISSION
Previous Shows
2021 Spring Play - The 39 Steps by Patrick Barlow
The St. Mark's Theater Department held a LIVE presentation of the annual Spring Play in May 2021 in the Athletic Quad. The St. Mark's community gathered on the steps in front of Elkins to enjoy the play.
The 39 Steps by Patrick Barlow
A Parody of the 1935 film by Alfred Hitchcock performed entirely by 7 actors. Richard Hannay, a lonely Londoner, is caught up in preventing an organization of spies called "The 39 Steps" from stealing British military secrets. After being mistakenly accused of the murder of a counter-espionage agent, Hannay goes on the run to Scotland in the hope to stop the spy ring and clear his name.
Cast of The 39 Steps
Reily Scott – Richard Hannay
Charlene Murima -- Compere, Mrs. Jordan, Radio Announcer, Mr. McGarrigle
Kevin Takayama -- Mr. Memory, Police, Sheriff, Crofter, Mrs. McGarrigle
Lina Zhang -- Anabella, Professor Jordan, Inspector Albright
Tori Merlo -- Mrs. Higgins, Porter, Paper Boy, Heavy, Pilot
Bethany Battista -- Salesman, Margaret, Heavy
Sydni Williams -- Salesman, Pilot, Pamela
Daniella Pozo -- Stage Manager
Virtual Winter Plays 2021 - Dead Man's Cell Phone and Eurydice
The St. Mark's Theater Department doubled down on its presentation of the annual Winter Play, with not one but two digital productions directed by Chris Kent that debuted on Thursday, March 11.
Dead Man's Cell Phone and Eurydice, both by Sarah Ruhl, was made available to the St. Mark's community via video from March 11 through March 14.
Dead Man's Cell Phone
Dead Man's Cell Phone is the odyssey of a woman forced to confront her own mortality, redemption, and the need to connect in a technologically obsessed world.
How to Watch:
Dead Man's Cell Phone https://vimeo.com/521890059
Password:_CELLPHONEDEAD_2021
Cast of Dead Man's Cell Phone
Jean – Sydni Williams
Gordon – Tony Li
Mrs. Gottlieb – Kendall Sommers
Hermia – Bethany Batista
Dwight – Kevin Takayama
The Other Woman/The Stranger – Charlene Murima
Stage Managers: Lauren Tran, Mina Li
Eurydice
Eurydice is a reimagining of the classic myth of Orpheus through the eyes of its heroine. Dying too young on her wedding day, Eurydice must journey to the underworld, where she reunites with her father and struggles to remember her lost love.
How to Watch:
Eurydice Link: https://vimeo.com/521881195
Password: _EURYDICE_2021
Cast of Eurydice
Eurydice –Elise Gobron
Orpheus – Michael Ferlisi
Father – Lina Zhang
Interesting Man – Kevin Takayama
Lord of the Underworld – Steven Yang
Big Stone – Dani Ortiz
Little Stone – Sophie Ledonio
Loud Stone – Kelly Yang
Stones - Tori Merlo, Eliza Spindler, Charlene Murima
Stage Manager: Felicity Keyzer-Pollard
Bonus content:
For a special "program notes" video with director Chris Kent, please visit https://vimeo.com/522315921
Password:_DIRECTORPLAY_
Winter Play 2020 - The Last Days of Judas Iscariot
This year’s winter play, The Last Days of Judas Iscariot by Stephen Adly Guirgis, will be performed Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings, February 27, 28, and 29, in the Putnam Family Arts Center’s Black Box Theater, at 7:30 p.m. The production is directed by veteran Theater Arts teacher Chris Kent. Admission is free, but seating is limited, so for reservations, please contact Mr. Kent at christopherkent@stmarksschool.org.
First staged off Broadway in 2005, The Last Days of Judas Iscariot tells the story of a court case over the ultimate fate of the title character. The play uses flashbacks to an imagined childhood and lawyers who call for the testimonies of such witnesses as Mother Teresa, Caiaphas, Saint Monica, Sigmund Freud, and Satan.
Cast & Crew
Henrietta Iscariot/Mary Magdalen- Elise Gobron ’21
Judas Iscariot - Yiwei Lu ’20
Jesus - Aiden Tam ’22
Judge - Michael Ferlisi ’22
Bailiff - Samantha Wang ’21
Fabiana Aziza Cunningham - Sydni Williams ’22
Yusef El-Fayoumy - Illia Rebechar ’20
Satan - Alexander Sumner ’20
Gloria/Sigmund Freud - Kendall Sommers ’22
Matthias of Galilee - Rebecca Wu ’21
Saint Monica/Mother Teresa - Anu Akibu ’20
Caiaphas The Elder - Alex Chen ’21
Pontius Pilate- Kevin Takayama ’21
Lorain/Soldier #3 - Sophie Ledonio ’23
Butch Honeywell/Sister Glenna/Soldier #1 - Lina Zhang ’21
Uncle Pino/Soldier #2 - Steven Yang ’23
Saint Peter – Kian Sahani ’20
Saint Matthew – Jack Griffin ’20
Stage Managers
Lauren Tran ’22, Lowell Fenstermacher ’22, Daniella Pozo ’22
Assistant Stage Manager
Charlie Poulin ’23
2019 Fall Play - Angels in America
2019 Spring Play - The Pillowman
2018 Winter Play - One Man, Two Guvnors
2018 Fall Play - She Kills Monsters
About
The Theatre Department is an active component in the life of the school, mounting a major main stage production in the Fall and Winter, and the ever-popular Student Directed One Act Festival in the spring. There exist numerous opportunities for performers and non-performers alike, including a fully student-run tech crew, and each year, more than 20 percent of the student body participates in the productions.
The productions are brought to life in our intimate black box theater and are typically modern and ensemble-based. Recent productions have included the zany serio-comedic She Kills Monsters; the thought-provoking Irish drama The Cripple of Inishmaan; a vivid staging of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time; and Tony Kushner’s Pulitzer Prize winning masterpiece, Angels in America.
Additionally, in the Summer of 2019, the St. Mark’s Theatre Department was invited to perform at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival as part of the American High School Theater Festival, mounting a full-scale production of Martin McDonagh’s The Pillowman