Norwich Free Academy Playshop Presents Winter Production

From the Norwich Free Academy: “13 Ways To Screw Up Your College Interview (And 14 More),” 7 p.m., Jan. 26 & 27, Slater Auditorium. Tickets will be at the door: $10 for adults; $5 for students, senior citizens, and children.

When two recruiters from a selective college must fill one last spot in the upcoming freshman class with a quality candidate to keep their jobs, they interview a cast of applicants. From a skinny weightlifter wannabe to a self-absorbed TV reality show star, each gives an interview which hilariously illustrates what not to do in a college interview. The production has timely appeal to NFA seniors in the midst of the college admission process.

The lineup of applicants includes a practicing vampire, a beat poet, a biter, a teen magician, a fugitive from justice, and others who are much, much worse, and makes for a raucous production that will have the audience in gales of laughter.

Over 67 students auditioned for the performance, including over a dozen new students who have never been involved in a performance as cast or crew. The production, including 33 cast members and production crew is evidence of the renaissance of NFA’s drama program under the direction of drama teacher Philip Trostler ’03.

The cast includes seniors Gueryloudy Alexandre, Casey Ashbee, Ryan Cash, Christian Celey, Kelly Daigneault, Alex Fitzpatrick, Eduene Kyle Gumboc, Johanny Ortiz, Kayla Rosengren, Brandon Speight, Anthony Tulli, Katelyn VanLanen, and Alex Wicken.

Uppers include Joseph Lisee, Zach Piercy, Rebecca Ramthun, Holly Rust, Micah Spruance, and Gabe Velez; and lowers are Malachi Brown, Meghan Canova, Julianna Drainville, Maria Feeney, Kevin Flaherty, Simon Jeczmienny Daisha Scaplen, and Anelyse Tower. Ninth-graders Matthew Barbeau, Katelyn Lawton, Kaylani Pearce, Carmen Rojas, Raven Wawryznowicz, and Cassidy White complete the list of actors.

Main crew members include seniors Aidan Carney and Ryan Cash; upper Angel Ladford; lowers, Simon Ricketts and Destiny Rosario; and ninth-grader Alex Stone.

Playshop will perform a “sneak prievew” for students during the day, Thursday, Jan. 25.

On the heels of this performance, Trostler will focus on casting the spring musical "Little Shop of Horrors" for an April production.

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