Students from the drama department recently put on a play that was performed outside. During the Zoo Story performances there were great times and a few laughs. Zoo Story was performed outside due to Covid-19 at the Athletic Park. 

Senior Tryston Mitchell helped with the set up and the performance of the one act play. Zoo Story is a play written by American playwright Edward Ablee about a man named Jerry that wants to take his own life and wants his last day to be one of adventure. Jerry goes to the Zoo and meets a man named Peter and they talk for most of the day. 

“The play was about a man named Jerry wanting to do something with his life before he ends it. So after he goes to the zoo he goes for a walk hoping to find someone. There he meets Peter and he tries to impress upon him his ideas and his life. The final moments [of the play] they are yelling at each other and Jerry uses Peter to kill himself.”

Mitchell along with senior Creed Ekerberg were the only performers in the play. Ekerberg says that Jerry was his favorite role he has ever played. Ekerberg and Mitchell are best friends and enjoyed working together in the production of Zoo Story. 

“Jerry is my favorite role I’ve ever played and to perform with my best friend was phenomenal,¨ Ekerberg said. ¨My favorite part was the story of Jerry and the dog just because I put so much effort into that three page monologue.”

It was a bit of a rainy weekend, but Mitchell said that the weather did not really affect the show and attendance. Although there was no cost to attend the play many audience members made donations. All donations went towards helping the NHS drama department hold more shows. For the recent performance the play raised a 100% profit. 

“The turn out was pretty good for our first [outdoor performance]. We had about 35- 40 people on the first day and roughly half as many on the second.¨ Mitchell said. ¨The donations went towards the drama department, since we didn’t have to purchase anything at all we had a 100% profit.”

The rain didn’t bring down Ekerberg’s energy for performing. Ekerberg felt like the rain present in the Sunday show helped his performance become more dramatic. Ekerberg also said that he had a good laugh after breaking character from slipping off a pole. 

“The weather might have effected the turn out of the second show but if anything the rain made [the performance] more dramatic. I got to do a whole monologue in the rain which was actually really cool.¨ Ekerberg said. ¨[In one of the shows] I slipped while swinging on the pole and I broke character for just a moment because I was laughing at myself.”