How did you initially become involved in theater?

“Last year for Freaky Friday my friends were all signing up for crew, and then I decided to as well, and I got put on running crew. It was just such a fun experience being involved in that. So then, I auditioned for the play and it was just so fun.”

What is the upcoming play, “Abigail, For Now”

about?

“It is about this fifteen year old girl named Abigail who is found in the woods trying to go home. Her home is in outer space, and she believes she is an alien. She gets put into a mental hospital and she learns a lot about the human experience and mental health and that is what the play mostly focuses on. It touches on a lot of tough topics surrounding mental health. I play Abigail.”

What has been your experience so far exploring the role of Abigail?

“It has been a little bit challenging actually, because her whole thing is that she studies humans and she’s experiencing all these emotions for the first time. It is kind of hard to experience an emotion I maybe personally have never felt [before]. I have been learning from watching others, and kind of seeing how others react by observing.”

Could you please tell me a bit about the rehearsal process? What does a typical rehearsal look like?

“[In] rehearsals, we might run act I one day, or just go through a part of it. And then, the other cast (since it’s double cast) will go into another room and work [on] that, and they can ask each other questions and get feedback. And then, we will work with Ms. Prentiss who is the director and she will give us points and we will work on staging.”

What is your favorite part about being in the play?

“Probably all the experiences and the jokes that everyone has behind the scenes. It is just like a lot of memories and everyone is really nice and fun.”

What is the main reason people should come see this play?

“It touches on a lot of tough topics and I feel like a lot of people have experienced those or know someone who has experienced them. It is like a new perspective on [that] and I feel like a lot of people can learn a lot, just like Abigail who is learning about the human experience.”

How has the cast bonded over this play? Have there been difficult moments you have had to work through and overcome?

“All of us, cast and crew, are working really hard to make sure this production goes smoothly, but during times when we’re not practicing, we always find time to joke around with each other and we have tons of inside jokes. Spending everyday after school together kind of forces everyone to be friends, which is a really good thing. Everyone is super talented and puts a lot into this show. Mental health can be a really hard thing to portray and, as a cast, we’ve had to work on getting more comfortable, but I think it’s so much easier because we are all doing it together and have each other’s support.”

What are you most excited for when it comes to performing this play?

“I’m definitely most excited to share this show with my friends and family. I have been talking about this show a whole lot to anyone and everyone, so hopefully they are also excited. Another thing I think is so cool is that this show is double cast, which means that there are two people cast in each role and we take turns performing. Everyone has someone else they can go to and ask questions or opinions.”

What made you want to do this play, especially considering that it touches on tough topics?

“I wanted to do this play because I really do enjoy every aspect of it. I love going to rehearsals(even really long tech rehearsals), I love working on my lines, I love getting to wear costumes, and I love every single person involved. I think Abigail, for Now is such an important show and because the topics are so difficult that is exactly why we need to talk about them. Mental health is something widely stigmatized and a lot more people than you’d think struggle with or know someone who has struggled with mental health. I think everyone can learn something from this show, because I definitely am everyday.”

How do you hope that the play will inspire others?

“I hope it shows people that it is okay to feel these things. If someone is struggling, chances are that someone else is struggling with the same thing. You can talk to others, and you can learn from others, and you are not alone.”