Geneva High School to stage 'And Then There Were None'

Posted November 04, 2015 10:00 pm

Geneva Theater Boosters

Payton Dahlin and Natalie Carberry rehearse a scene from the Geneva High School production of "And Then There Were None." COURTESY OF JOHN DOWNEY

Ten guilty strangers come together in Geneva Community High School's rendition of Agatha Christie's classic murder mystery "And Then There Were None."

Each is accused of murder and none will leave alive as one by one they succumb to the fate of the 10 little soldiers in a nursery rhyme.

Show times are 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Nov. 6-7, and 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 8, at Geneva Community High School, 416 McKinley Ave., Geneva. Tickets will be available at the door.

This year's production is directed by Konnie Kay Sherry. Her directing career began 15 years ago after working for many years as an actress, singer, dancer, and choreographer. She's currently a director for Elgin Community College and has directed several productions for other area high schools.

"I just love working with a team to create a story that will take an audience away from their everyday lives for a couple hours," Sherry says.

She selected "And Then There Were None" for GHS's fall play because, she says, "Mysteries are always fun and this one is a different type of murder mystery."

According to Sherry, the audience's opinion on who they think the murderer is at intermission will change throughout the rest of the play right until the very end.

Aly Fogel, a senior at GHS, portrays Vera Claythorne. She's been acting since the sixth grade in both school and community theater productions.

"My favorite part of playing the role (of Vera) is the way her mental state changes throughout the show," Fogel says.

The silent star of the show is the set, put together by stage crew and cast under the direction of technical director Mary Toledano. The entire play is set in the living room of a house on Soldier Island, off the coast of Devon in the 1940s.

It might sound like a simple setting, but Brandon Nickelson, a senior at Geneva Community High School who plays the part of Dr. Armstrong, says, "We've built in a lot of detail. It's probably my favorite set so far."

Nickelson has been acting on the Geneva stage since he was a sophomore.

Putting on such a production takes several hours of dedication on the parts of all involved. Balancing that with school work and other activities can be a challenge, but Fogel says, "I've found that by prioritizing I can get my homework and extracurriculars done during the rehearsal process."

Sherry adds, "In a world where the news reported about teenagers is often negative, Ms. Toledano and myself have had the opportunity to work with a wonderful group of 30-plus teenagers who've committed themselves to working together as a team for something positive."

From left, Payton Dahlin, Brandon Nickelson, Christopher Kubiak and Marc Belon rehearse a scene from the Geneva High School production of "And Then There Were None." COURTESY OF JOHN DOWNEY

Marc Belon, left, Natalie Carberry and Christopher Kubiak rehearse a scene from the Geneva High School production of "And Then There Were None." COURTESY OF JOHN DOWNEY

Aly Fogel and Quinn Falk rehearse a scene from the Geneva High School production of "And Then There Were None." COURTESY OF JOHN DOWNEY

If you go

What: Geneva Community High School presents Agatha Christie's "And Then There Were None"

When: 7:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday, Nov. 6-7; 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 8

Where: Geneva Community High School, 416 McKinley Ave., Geneva

Tickets: $7 for adults; $5 for students and seniors

Details: The performance is appropriate for all audiences with mild adult themes. Visit <a href="http://www.geneva304.org/genevahighschool_home.aspx">www.geneva304.org</a>/.

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