- Drama
- HS
Seisen’s Drama Teacher Dr. Reimer and SMIS’s Mr. Stovall directed productions of Antigone by Sophocles and a 1980s version of Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing, which involved 59 Grades 9-12 students from the two schools.
On Friday, October 25, and Saturday, October 26, over 500 people came to the SMIS Multi-Purpose Hall to watch high school students from Seisen and St. Mary’s present reimaginings of classic plays for the 2024 Joint Fall Plays.
Seisen’s Drama Teacher Dr. Reimer and SMIS’s Mr. Stovall directed these productions, which involved 59 Grades 9-12 students from the two schools. The first production – a modern interpretation of Antigone by Sophocles – was directed by Mr. Stovall and featured Seisen actors Yuri Yamashita, Cassie Bucy, Zara Strauss, Sophie Chen, Claire Chen, Risa Mishihara, Yuyu Nagata, and Nelly Hieromoini. The second production – a 1980s version of Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing – was directed by Dr. Reimer and featured Seisen actors Fangyan “Vivi” Fu, Fangheng “Yoyo” Fu, Kaede Robertson, Lucy Peto, Luna Sandoval, Maiko Yamaoka, and Luna Spear.
The backstage crews also had strong Seisen involvement. The stage manager for Much Ado About Nothing was Ayaka Saito, and team leaders from Seisen were Clara Nozu on Hair & Makeup and Karen Ishii on Props & Backstage. Members of the backstage teams from Seisen included Julia Yamauchi, Sae Obi, Madison “Michi” Morita, Emily Ogawa, Mitsuki Kohno, Seah Oh, Chelsea Fu, Moma Nishiura, Ana Rie Tejima, Clara Fossard, Haasini Sudhagar, Haruki Yoshimura, Leila Takahashi, and Sara Tanaka.
Auditioning and casting the shows as soon as school resumed, the entire company managed to put the shows together in just six weeks of rehearsal, with a week off for the schools’ Fall Break. That means in just six weeks they studied the play, did everything they needed to do from learning lines to building sets, and got it up in front of an audience.
At the end of the run, both shows managed to create different worlds on the stage and offer fresh insight into these familiar stories – both of which are studied in English classes at the schools. Both shows utilized simple yet thoughtful stage elements and otherwise focused on the use of bodies and voices in space to tell the stories.
Dr. Reimer said: “I am tremendously proud of everyone that was involved with Antigone and Much Ado About Nothing. Both shows were a massive undertaking in the time that we had, and everyone rose to the occasion to make magic on the stage. We managed to provide our audiences with a varied and thoughtful evening of storytelling, while also entertaining them with strong acting, dynamic stage pictures, and fun music. The best part of all, though, is that everyone involved seems to have had a great time and said they want to do the Fall Play again next year (if they aren’t graduating)!”
Congratulations to all of the students who participated! Hopefully, all of their fun experiences making theatre will inspire the next generation of actors and crew members of future joint school productions.
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Want to check out Drama at Seisen? Mark your calendars for this year's Joint Spring Musical 2025, Shrek the Musical, which will feature the talents of Drama students from Seisen, Saint Mary's, and the International School of the Sacred Heart, April 11-13, 2025, at 7:00 pm in SMIS's Multi-Purpose Hall.
More photos shared in Vidigami:
Antigone: https://app.vidigami.com/seisen/c3BhY2V8MzE3MQ==/albums/ZXZlbnR8NjEzNTQw
Much Ado About Nothing: https://app.vidigami.com/seisen/c3BhY2V8MzE3MQ==/albums/ZXZlbnR8NjEzNTQx
Cassie Bucy '25 as Ismene and Yuri Yamashita ‘26 as the titular character in Antigone.
Zara Strauss '25 as Nurse of the Chorus in Antigone.
Nelly Hieromoini '27 and Sophie Chen ‘28 as Chorus in Antigone.
Lucy Peto '26 as Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing.
Fangyan “Vivi” Fu '25 as Dogberry in Much Ado About Nothing.
(from left to right) Seisen’s Maiko Yamaoka ‘28, Luna Sandoval ‘27, Kaede Robertson ‘27, and Luna Spear ‘28 in the party scene of Much Ado About Nothing.