GREENFIELD — Members of the Greenfield High School Drama Club are celebrating the start of spring as they take the stage for their upcoming play, “The Secret Garden.”
Performances will be held on Friday, March 27, and Saturday, March 28, with shows at 7 p.m. both days, as well as an additional 2 p.m. show on Saturday. Students have been preparing since November, following their series of Edgar Allen Poe plays.
“I want [the students] to be as good as I know they can be,” said Co-Director Deborah Potee. “They are strong actors, and I want them to be appreciated, because they have been working very hard all this year doing two performances.”
There are eight students performing. Junior Kali Lewis plays the role of Dickon, a young boy who she explained is “all about nature.” Lewis has been a part of the Drama Club since her freshman year at Greenfield High School, and is excited for opening night.
“I know my friends really like coming to see the shows,” Lewis said. “I’m really excited to see what they think of it because the show is geared more toward younger children but even people my age can see it.”
The production is a team effort across the high school, with the Art Club creating two interior backdrops, and woodshop students working on props such as an ironing board.
“Historically we try to get as many people in different parts of the high school to be involved,” Potee said. “Even if they wouldn’t consider themselves part of the Drama Club, we consider them part of the Drama Club, because they are helping.”
Potee highlighted her connection to “The Secret Garden,” saying it’s “the book I grew up with.” Potee and Co-Director Anna Hartmann chose both “The Secret Garden” and the Edgar Allen Poe plays in the fall to support literature based-performances in an effort to get students to read.
“The Secret Garden” is set in the Moors of England and follows the story of a young girl whose parents died from a cholera outbreak and is sent to live in England with her uncle. There, she discovers a garden that she helps bring back to life, and makes new friends.
“It’s basically a story about making friends and changing,” Potee explained, “and of course all the symbolism is with the garden changing and growing once it gets some attention and is no longer neglected.”
The production is now in the final stages. Thursday will be the dress rehearsal and full run-through, and on Friday afternoon, the Drama Club has invited Greenfield’s elementary schoolers to come see the play.
After the long winter, Potee said she is looking forward to seeing a set full of flowers on opening night. She also highlighted the relationship between the themes in the play and the growth of high schoolers.
“It’s about change and growth, and [we] spend a lot of time with teenagers, and they grow and change constantly, and it’s exciting to see,” Potee said. “So I hope people can see in this play that opportunity to have growth and change and make friends.”
