The stage of the Mundelein Theatre will be turned into small-town America for the MHS winter play on Thursday through Saturday, Feb. 1-3. Middletown is a funny, quirky, deeply moving play by Will Eno that is not often seen on high school stages.
The performances will begin at 7:30 pm., with a matinee performance on Saturday, Feb. 3 at 3:45 pm. Additionally, the understudy cast will perform the show at 2 p.m. on Saturday.
A winner of the 2010 Horton Foote Award for Most Promising Play, Middletown explores the universe of a small American town. As a friendship develops between longtime resident John Dodge and a new arrival, Mary Swanson, the lives of the inhabitants of the town intersect in strange and poignant ways.
“This play is Will Eno’s homage to the Thornton Wilder classic, Our Town,” said Director Jonathan Meier. “It has a similar theme of simple American small-town life, which of course, is anything but simple. I have been describing it as a more modern and quirkier version of Our Town.”
“The play has kept all of the actors on their toes, as it moves quickly back and forth between comic and serious.” said senior Julia Myrant who portrays newcomer Mary Swanson.
Junior Alex Benassi, who portrays John Dodge, said his character is going through some serious mental struggles during the play.
“Staying true to that while navigating the style shifts in the play has been an interesting challenge.”
Others in the cast are seniors Stephanie Aquino, Grace DeMilio, Lupe Duarte, Taylor Gates, Kailib Keblys, Leandro Ocampo, Sarah Page, Rey Palacios, and Zoë Van Krey. Rounding out the cast is freshman Lia Teresi-Tobar.
Understudies are Vesta Albano, Olivia Catchot, Ellory Duval, Delany Hintze, Achilles Kim, Kelly McQuillan, Eli Nerdin, Graham Ney, Ernesto Sanchez, Aspen Sweet, Sophia Tatevosian, and Alex Torralba Rivera. The Assistant Directors are Arlo Fingerhut and Marissa St. Clair. The Stage Managers are Morgan Jacobson and Mariana Van Eycke.
Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students and seniors. The matinee performance on Friday is only $2 for MHS students. Tickets can be purchased online at www.mundeleintheatre.org. Tickets will also be on sale at the door, 30 minutes prior to each performance (cash or check only). All performances will be held at Mundelein High School, 1350 W. Hawley Street.
This performance contains scenes that portray themes related to suicide, which may be distressing or triggering for some members of the audience. We want to ensure that our audience can make an informed choice about their attendance. If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of self-harm or suicide, please seek help and support from a trusted friend, family member, or mental health professional. You are not alone, and help is available. Follow this link for resources.