BUCKLAND — Mohawk Trail Regional School’s theater program is back with a new play that staff and students expect will keep attendees on the edge of their seats.
The play, called “Ax of Murder,” will be performed on Friday, Dec. 9, and Saturday, Dec. 10, at 7:30 p.m in the Mohawk Trail auditorium.
The play’s storyline is set in a theater, where the actors have a mystery to solve after a police sergeant shows up stating he was called about a murder. The actors take it upon themselves to find the culprit.
“This murder mystery is absorbing and engaging,” said Eva Husson-Stockhamer, Mohawk Trail’s director of the performing arts. “The show is appropriate for all ages.”
Husson-Stockhamer is excited to be back working with students in her second show at Mohawk Trail, having been hired ahead of last school year’s musical. Having one play in the fall and a musical in the spring provides a solid base to work from, Husson-Stockhamer explained. Since there had not been an active theater program at Mohawk Trail since before the pandemic struck, she had to develop the program basically from scratch.
“The show was well received in the spring, so we decided to do two shows this year,” she noted.
“Miss Eva has a vision to try and bring back the music program to what it was,” commented junior Mohamed Abdelgawad, an actor in the play. “It’s going well. We are getting a lot more people signed up compared to last year.”
“Ax of Murder” has 15 students acting in the play and five crew members building the minimal set, what with the show taking place in a theater.
Students from grades seven through 12 were invited to be part of the show, which has involved practicing two afternoons per week after school since September.
When asked what the theater program at Mohawk Trail brings to students’ lives, Husson-Stockhamer explained it teaches them teamwork, creativity, public speaking and memorization, while also showing the actors business skills as they sell tickets and advertising space.
Abdelgawad said he is glad more arts are coming back to Mohawk Trail.
“Having the arts in high school is so fantastic,” Abdelgawad said. “You can develop so many skills.”
Husson-Stockhamer hinted that the “Ax of Murder” performances will include a special cameo appearance that the Mohawk Trail community won’t want to miss.
“It is going to have a wild surprise,” Abdelgawad said.
Tickets are $12 for adults and $10 for students and seniors. Tickets, as well as advertising space on the show programs, can be purchased at bit.ly/3txNpZ9.
Bella Levavi can be reached at 413-930-4579 or blevavi@recorder.com.