Every year, the Nantucket High School Drama Club puts on a fall production; this year’s annual show is Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap. With a murder mystery plotline and more twists and turn than you can count, and a cast of kooky characters – including a skiing detective, a bitter old crone, and an ambiguous foreigner – this show is not one to be missed. The production will run November 17-19, with a total of three performances, in the Mary P. Walker auditorium.
This year’s cast is full of familiar faces, including senior Nick Misurelli, juniors Beck Barsanti, Nicole LeBlanc, Anna Steadman, Bridget Kubisch, Gabby Macallister, Seven Folger, and sophomores Chelsea Remick, Sophia Reis and Matthew Holdgate. The drama club is also excited to welcome its newest members, freshmen Anya Mogenson and Maisie Cocker. NHS Chemistry teacher, Elissa Gilgen, is also making her directing debut with this production, alongside former NHS student and drama club member, Bridget McGuinness.
The Mousetrap is a classic “Whodunnit” mystery. The story follows newlyweds Mollie and Giles Ralston (to be played by Macallister and Barsanti) who have just opened a guest house. Each guest who walks through the door is seemingly more strange than the last. The pessimistic Mrs. Boyle (LeBlanc), with a strange and cloudy past, a retired military general (Misurelli) with a fondness for eggs, a rather masculine woman (Steadman), a neurotic, quirky, struggling architect (Holdgate), and a surprise visitor from perhaps the most mysterious character of all: Paravicini (Folger). When detective Sergeant Trotter (Remick) arrives, the Ralston’s, along with their guests, are informed that a murder has taken place, of which they are all suspects.
Not long after, one of the guests is killed, and it isn’t until the very last page that the murderer is revealed. Since it’s opening in 1952, The Mousetrap has gained popularity both on the West End and in the states, making it a popular choice for theatre troupes and schools alike.
Members of the club are anxious to begin rehearsals, and excited for the show to go up. “This will be my third year in the drama club,” says junior Seven Folger. “It’s one of my favorite things about high school. This is a really great cast, and a really hilarious show,” she continues. When asked about the process of putting on a production, Folger laughed, adding “It’s a lot, and I mean a lot. I don’t know if people realize just how much work goes into it. We rehearse every day after school, but even beyond that. We’ve got students and parent volunteers building set pieces, putting together costume pieces, learning how to run lights and curtains, it’s really a team effort. It’s also a lot of fun.”
Tickets to attend The Mousetrap will be on sale as the production dates, November 17-19, approach.
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