Seniors Evann Twitchell and Brooke Mathews’  characters in The Dining Room argue about who is to receive the dining room furniture after the death of their mother. 
After only a few months at RBHS, new drama teacher Holly Maness has already directed one play, The Dining Room*, and is already preparing for her second.
This year’s winter play, Picasso at the Lapin Agile, is written by the multi-talented producer Steve Martin. Although it’s not the traditional fare typically consumed on the high school stage, Maness enjoys the challenge.
“I really like [Picasso] because it has a lot of stuff happening on different levels,” Maness said. “There’s interesting movement, interesting set, but it’s not a complicated set … so we’re not switching the set pieces out a lot. So, there’s things happening on those levels but then also it explores philosophical ideas [and] historical ideas, so I feel like there’s a lot there we can work with.”
Maness believesThe Dining Room, performed last week by the Advanced Acting class, went well.
“I was really happy with [The Dining Room]. We had fun. We were challenged. The audience came out and they understood what we were doing…” Maness said. “The kids got to try new things; they all played multiple parts so everybody had to switch up character.”
Maness has grown on Maddie Collier. Collier, a senior who has acted since eighth grade, said her new drama teacher has loosened up in her first few months.
“It was very structured at first … and now it’s like, ‘Hey, guys!'” Collier said. “I call her mayonnaise now, and we’re just more of a family, and she’s like our acting mom.”
Sophomore Madilyn Hollinger, who was also in The Dining Room, said she was drawn to Picasso because of its director, Steve Martin. While she only played a minor part in the first play, she hopes to improve.
“In The Dining Room I didn’t have a major role, I didn’t have a speaking part, and I was just in the background,” Hollinger said. “I’m hoping that if I get into Picasso I would like to actually say something, speak, act and put myself out there.”
Hollinger said she hasn’t prepared for her audition enough because of finals, but that she’s not scared.
“I’ve just tried to calm myself down and think [that] it’s okay if I don’t get in, it’s okay if I have a background role,” Hollinger said. “I’m not too nervous about it, not too worried.”
Collier, who said she hasn’t prepared, hopes to improve on her performance in The Dining Room by interpreting the characters better through her acting.
“I just kind of wing it usually,” Collier said, “but I plan on reading the script and looking at parts that I’d like and trying to interpret it better.”
Auditions will be after school next Tuesday, Dec. 16.
By Brett Stover
*A Rock, article on 12/11/2014 stated that Maness had directed Curtains. She directed The Dining Room.