The school year has just begun for Central students, and already there are numerous sports and activities. One of these activities is participating in the new school play, How to Get Away with a Murder Mystery. The production is a murder mystery performance directed by Branden Martinez, the school’s music director.
While murder mysteries are common themes for plays here at Central, Mr. Martinez wanted to take another approach to this beloved theme. He wanted the play to be like “Clue,” and Martinez explained, “I heard that BST was performing it. I wanted something close, so I chose the play, How to Get Away with a Murder Mystery.”
This drama style is interesting because it incorporates narrators to set the tone and add humor for the audience to enjoy. Mr. Martinez envisions the production’s overall mood as “remarkable,” and notes, “Our narrators for the show, led by Halle Anderson and Vivian Hastings, really set the tone.” He adds that the lead detective, played by senior Anna Kim, “really steals the show by creating those moments.”
There are many challenges to directing a high school play. One of the main challenges is that many of the students performing in this year’s production are in other activities, sports, and clubs. In addition, there is an extremely limited period that students can practice and rehearse; preparation time is constricted, and Mr. Martinez added to that by saying, “TIME! It’s always time that is the biggest challenge. We really only have 6 weeks to put a show together every year. That being said, juggling every student’s busy schedule is exceedingly difficult, but we seem to pull it off every year during tech week, and the show is always a success.”
This new murder mystery is prepared to be a tremendous success and a big hit with Central students. The actors, crew, and director are dedicating much of their time to make this play enjoyable and exciting for everyone who watches it. Make sure to show up and lend your support for these amazing individuals. Performance times will be set soon.
