Naperville Central teen's play a look at office live
Charlie Huth has never surveyed the scene from an office cubicle, had water cooler chats with co-workers or been subjected to staff meetings.
But the high school senior's sendup of office life is keeping the Naperville Central show's cast in stitches during rehearsals.
And the young writer-director is hoping his script, "Beyond the Pink Slip: A Modern Christmas Miracle," will tickle the audience's funny bone just as mercilessly.
"It takes place at an office holiday party," Huth said. "It has to do with how people interact. No one really wants to be there, but they still are."
The characters, he said, should seem familiar.
"The people are all people we know from somewhere," Huth said.
There are no "main" characters, Huth said.
"They're all kind of major characters in this. It's an ensemble show. Everyone plays a part," he said.
Sophomore Terry Ivers plays an office worker named Frank.
"Frank is this very optimistic guy who is all about the holiday spirit," Ivers said. "Whenever someone is having a day that is not the greatest, he tries to cheer them up. He's very wacky. He's not the cheerleader, he is the mascot."
Ivers chuckles as he describes the two-act show's zaniness.
"There are some dynamic changes throughout the play. It's great. I love the story. It is definitely a comedy," he said.
Ivers said he is impressed with Huth's script and Huth's writing and directing.
"Charlie wrote it by himself," he said. "I was blown away by that."
Two of the more prominent characters penned by Huth serve as narrators.
Huth said he uses both recorded voice-overs and onstage dialogue to allow the narrators to deliver the story to the audience.
"They address them through interior monologues. You can hear what they are thinking," he said.
Those thoughts and the actions they inspire largely spring from the characters' intimate-yet-distant relationships. These are people, Huth said, who spend much of their lives in the same room, yet many remain strangers.
Without revealing too much about the plot, Huth offers this hint:
"I feel like the title's a big giveaway."
<p class="factboxheadblack">If you go</p> <p class="News"><b>What:</b> "Beyond the Pink Slip: A Modern Christmas Miracle," staged by Naperville Central's Theatre Central</p> <p class="News"><b>When:</b> 8 p.m. Dec. 12 and 13</p> <p class="News"><b>Where:</b> Little Theatre at Naperville Central High School, 440 W. Aurora Ave., Naperville</p> <p class="News"><b>Tickets:</b> $5 at the door; $4 with a canned food donation to the Loaves and Fishes Community Pantry</p> <p class="News"><b>Info:</b> (630) 420-3885 or <a href="http://www.schools.naperville203.org/central" target="new">schools.naperville203.org/central</a>.</p>