With autumn right around the corner, chunky knit sweaters and iced chai lattes are beginning to emerge in the hallways. Bony skeletons and translucent ghosts are materializing in front yards as maple trees commence their annual color show, and the holiday on the forefront of everyone’s minds is, of course, Halloween.
This year, LOHS Drama is leaning into the mysterious vibes as they put on the first ever play where the plot is a secret. That’s right, straight from Drama director Bobbi Bergh, this “spooky” and “immersive” play is “a recount of filmed interviews and flashbacks to an event that happened in a haunted theatre.” The only people who will find out what happens in the end are those who attend! Instead of binging classic horror movies this fall, just stop by the theatre to watch the live production — or do both! Bergh says, “It’s one of those [shows] where you will understand why when you see it.” How mysterious!
According to senior Claire Hashimoto, who plays Avishay Lenser, a forensic engineer involved in solving a murder mystery, the “play has been slightly different from past plays, as we have a much bigger cast…We have a cast size of 35 this year, consisting of many people who have not been involved in theatre in the past.” This difference should not detract from the show’s success and execution, as Hashimoto says audiences should anticipate a “thrilling murder mystery”.
The festive and seasonally-appropriate theme is perfect for this year. According to Statista, scary movies have grown in popularity in the past few years, with horror accounting for more than 10 percent of box office revenue. With true crime in the top tier of Spotify and Apple Music podcast genres, mysterious and suspenseful stories are clearly on trend. If you are a fan of all things spooky, this play is a must-see, although it is recommended for “audiences old enough not to be frightened by sudden darkness and creepy themes” according to Bergh. Therefore, when planning your autumn bucket list, be sure to include a trip to the LOHS fall play for a spooky dose of Halloween theatre magic.