BY DANI TIETZ
dani@sjodaily.com
An “incomprehensible event” has happened at St. Joseph-Ogden High School.
Every person in the play “Trap” has fallen unconscious. That is every person except one, 16-year-old, Angela.
Heche, a struggling detective, and Ephrain Silas, a firefighter, are on the scene to uncover the dangerous web of events.
Spectators are invited to witness their investigation at 7 p.m. on Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sunday.
Senior Nolan Peacock, who plays Silas, said this year’s fall play will be unlike anything the SJ-O drama department has put on before. The crowd will not only have seats in the bleachers, but also alongside actors on the floor, where much of the production takes place.
Peacock joined the drama department in the spring of 2019 when he took on a role in “All Shook Up.” Prior to that, he lent a hand in the pit playing his guitar his freshman and sophomore years.
Although Peacock is an extrovert, he said that taking a leap onto the stage was nerve-racking.
“I just got older and I realized that it wasn’t that big of a deal,” he said.
The outlet has been a “continuation of creative effort and expressionistic effort,” he said.
Peacock joins classmate Kaylee Blackburn who plays 30-year old Heche in “Trap.”
Learning to shed her fear over four years on stage has helped Blackburn become a better actor.
“I’ve learned that you can’t really be yourself on stage, you have to be your character,” she said. “Even if I’m scared, I have to tell myself I’m not Kaylee, so the person that I’m playing wouldn’t be scared on stage so that’s who I have to portray.”
Blackburn said that being part of the SJ-O Drama Department is a safe place to learn.
“It’s a very diverse place,” she said. Some people are in band, some people are in sports; it’s just all different types of people, but yet we’re all really close together.”
Kristen Costa, who plays Anglea, said the family bond really drew her in her sophomore year.
“We’re all so close and we can all talk to each other about things,” she said.
Costa was lured into drama after she saw “Little Shop of Horrors” during her freshman year. Friends encouraged her to join them on stage as a sophomore.
“It was amazing, and so that’s kind of what drove me to get into it,” she said.
The creative outlet where actors could offer critique and help each other learn is what kept her coming back each fall and spring.
“It’s just such a safe environment that I feel like a lot of other clubs and teams don’t really have that we have,” she said.
The seniors said that although they may have a little more experience than the younger actors, they appreciate that everyone has an opportunity to have and use their voices.
“Everyone’s opinions are respected, everyone’s guidance is respected and appreciated, too,” Costa said. “Somebody may see something that another person doesn’t, it just depends on where you’re at and the perspective, you’re looking at it from.”
Peacock said all of the encouragement and insight is just to make the show something they are proud of sharing with their friends and loved ones.
“It’s a great production,” he said. “We’ve worked really hard, so everybody should definitely come out and see it.”
Tickets for “Trap” can be purchased at the St. Joseph-Ogden High School office.
The cost is $6 for adults, $5 for students and $4 for seniors as well as children under 12. Tickets are $1 more at the door.
