Chelmsford Students Release Film, The Mystery at Pendleton Manor

CHELMSFORD, MA — A student written and acted film is the latest event to be held live at the school. It's a culmination of a year's worth of work for students, and highlights the loosening of pandemic restrictions.

"The Mystery at Pendleton Manor," a feature-length film written, filmed and performed by the students of the Chelmsford High School Theatre Guild, will be shown at 7 p.m. June 10 and 11 at the Carl J. Rondina Performing Arts Center.

“It’s going to be great fun for the kids and those who know them,” said Theater Director Lauren Cochran. “I’m very proud that they saw it through. In a unique year, I’m just really glad they had something to do and something to look forward to.”

Seniors Pierce Magnant and Simran Malhotra; juniors Sachi Badola, Keira Comtois and Darius Sobhian wrote the film along with local playwright Eloise Hoffman, under the direction of Cochran. Each of the student writers plays a role in the film. Students also wrote and performed the musical score.

In any given year, the Theatre Guild stages three to five musicals and plays. Because of the pandemic, students banned together and proposed a feature-length film. Filming began in September 2020. Final edits are to be done by the end of this week.

It was a new experience for everyone, said Cochran.

“We were all just learning as we went,” she said. “It is just so different from theater. Theater is linear, and film is not linear at all. It was a big education for all of us.”

"The Mystery at Pendleton Manor" depicts 90-year-old billionaire Jebediah Pendleton, who invites his nieces and nephews to Pendleton Manor – in the midst of a pandemic – for a series of skills to determine who is worthy of inheriting his estate.

The two-hour film features more than 20 student actors and was filmed largely outside the Winnekenni Castle in Haverhill, the Masonic Temple in Lowell as well as the High School.

Admission is $10 per person. The showing is limited to 250 each night. Audience members are required to wear a mask. Tickets can be purchased by any cast member or on the night of the show at the door.

To reserve seats, contact Lauren Cochran, Theater Director, at cochranl@chelmsford.k12.ma.us.