Ladies and Gentleman, we ask you to join the Drama Club on a journey to 18th century Venice. Your night will be a whirlwind of laughter and adventure as you take a step into the world of The Servant of Two Masters. This performance is a comedy about the fight for star-crossed lovers to come together when obstacle after obstacle stands in their way. It seems as though fate is fighting against all of the characters as every little thing goes wrong. The over-dramatic happenings and expressions from each character bring a type of comedy that will have you on your knees.  Allison Sharlow, a freshman in the cast, provides background information on the progression of the performance: “The play is very extravagant and a fun challenge for a lot of us. It’s a new way of acting and I think we’re all learning how to do it… and it’s really coming together. Everyone should come see it!” Not only is the performance flamboyant, but the set and costumes are as well. The entire crew has worked diligently to bring the show to life. The costuming, makeup, and sets transform the entire auditorium into a completely new world. 

The Servant of Two Masters adheres to the form of theatre, Commedia dell’arte, which is new to many of the actors and is an exciting challenge. This category of theatre dramatizes normal life and creates a hysterical storyline. It also provides room for improvisation. This can be difficult for the actors and directors to adapt to. Despite this, everyone has performed their jobs incredibly and continues to make the production memorable. Evie Ellis, a junior, and student director, elaborates on the difficulties and triumphs of Commedia dell’arte. She explains, “This play differs from others in the way it’s improvised more than anything else. Each night is a little bit different because while a lot of it is scripted, many parts of it are improvised. This makes it funny and refreshing, especially for me since I watch it over and over again, but it also gets incredibly hard to time, and it’s difficult to give notes or criticism on something that changes every night. Also, the set is unlike anything we’ve tried in such a short time, and I think we did a great job capturing the Italian style of houses.”

With new and old actors, a special guest, and more, this performance will be a night full of excitement. Not only will you see your favorite actors and actresses, but chicken Sunshine McHale, straight from Mrs. McHale’s backyard coup, will make an appearance as well. When asked how she felt about her stage debut, Sunshine simply squawked, so it was decided that Mrs. McHale would be a better candidate to interview. When asked how she felt about Sunshine being a part of the production she responded, “I am very proud of her. We have four chickens and so personality-wise Sunshine has the best demeanor to work with people she does not know. We’re trying to prep her for it because chickens go to bed when the sun sets, but now it’s darker earlier. So they have a little light in their coup so they think it is light out to keep her up later so she can handle the performance.” 

The show is fast approaching, so buy your tickets quickly. Opening night is on Thursday, October 24th, at 7:30 PM and if you are a Haddonfield student, entrance is free! Otherwise, admission is $10. If you are not able to make it on opening night, don’t fret; the other performances will be on Saturday, October 26th, at 7:30 PM and Sunday, October 27th at 2:00 PM.