SSHS Drama Class debuts "Catch Me As I Fall" May 25

SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley-Swan High School Drama Class returns to the stage May 25 for the premier production of “Catch Me As I Fall” written by SSHS Senior Beth Homen. The community is encouraged to attend the performance Wednesday night at 5:30 p.m. in the Seeley-Swan High School Auditorium. There is no cost to attend but donations will be accepted to help support the drama program.

Homen loves to write. When SSHS Drama Teacher Katy Pellet told her drama students to write a short play in August, Homen took a short story she had already written and adapted it for the stage.

“Catch Me As I Fall” portrays a college professor named Yasha who has escaped the mafia. She devoted her life in New York City to rescuing others from the mafia. Yet her actions and secrecy led local law enforcement to mistrust her and the mafia to despised her.

Homen is excited about her play for several reasons. First, she said the mainstream media often portrays the strong character as someone who is street smart, book smart and has very few, if any, flaws.

“When I wrote the character Yasha I was thinking, yeah she is strong but what is her Achilles heal? What cripples her more than anything?” Homen said. “In this case it is both her family and the people she wants to help.”

The theme that unravels is the need to reach out to others for help, regardless of how strong someone thinks they are.

“Even though [Yasha] was incredibly brilliant and brave, she let things slip past,” Homen said. “I think that makes her more human than any other super hero because here is a person that tried to do good but she still failed.”

Homen said she chose the mafia as the antagonist because they are a modern-day villain, a crime syndicate around the world.

“We do have power structures like this everywhere in the world so I just used that as an inspiration,” Homen said.

Homen said she set it in modern day because “it is complicated.”

Historically Homen said whomever had the guns made the law. In modern day, the power structure is based more on influence.

“They can either hide or control,” Homen said. “There are definitely tones of that in play.”

The Drama Class started this play about five weeks ago. The class auditioned and then they voted to assign roles.

Pellet asked Homen if she wanted to be Yasha. While it was scary at the time, she agreed.

Being the playwright and producer has been daunting for Homen.

“There is a point where you have to let the script go into the hands of the actors and say here, do with this what you will, this is the outline, improv if you will,” Homen said. “Each actor brings their own talents to the table. I’m just really excited how this will turn out.”

Homen is excited to perform with Sky Burckhard again, having performed next to each other in “The Play” earlier in the year. Burckhard plays Micah, someone Yasha rescued from the mafia. Homen said they have great chemistry on stage.

Homen said it has been really fun to watch the sets develop as well. MacKenzy Best, Bailey Shaw and Kyle Duran took the script, put together the plan and ran with it. While costume design is done, the class is still in the process of getting that together.

“It is coming together really good. I’m having fun with this immensely and I think everyone else is having fun having a modern day look on power,” Homen said.

The modern day setting for a serious play has been a challenge for costume designers Cheyenne Gifford and Hattie Batchelder.

“A lot of things are supposed to be taken seriously,” Gifford said. “Taking that into account, it is not suppose to be satirical, it is just normal people trying to fit into society which made it even more challenging. We had to get creative.”

The main character Yasha is a college professor so they gave her an academic look.

“We went for the dark academia look,” Batchelder said.

They did the most research for the Mafia Boss Elias. Gifford said most people envision the mafia in fancy suits, smoking cigars but that is the image from the 1920’s.

For the other characters they based the costumes off the characters’ personalities.

“I think what we decided to do with the costumes does really paint a picture of the character who is going to be on stage as well as how the person is going to play such character,” Gifford said.

Both Gifford and Batchelder had main acting roles in “The Play.” They both have gained a greater appreciation for the other aspects of theater and been able to grow in other areas that interest them.

Art is a passion for Gifford.

“I learned a lot more about clothing, costume design and character design even,” Gifford said.

After high school, Batchelder wants to go to school for film and the film industry.

“It is cool to see another aspect with costume design,” Batchelder said. “It is easier to see how it fits into the play when you are watching it from the outside and you aren’t acting to see how we can put it together to make sense.”

Batchelder added, “It feels pretty cool to know that everyone who is in drama is doing something for the play. We are all contributing equally just like the actors. I didn’t realize how much work it would be to see what sets are doing, make the costumes and have the curtains and lighting right. We didn’t really focus on that with the last play.”

“I’m really, really glad that I’m able to do this,” Homen said smiling. “I never thought we could do this when Ms. Pellet told us to write a short play in August. I’m really excited.”

“I wanted to give her this opportunity,” Pellet said. “Beth is incredible and I hope the community comes out and supports the class.”