For anyone who enjoys a good “whodunit” mystery, here’s the setup: The long-running soap opera ”The Bold and the Young” is in its last days. Its hunky hero has self-esteem issues, its villainous old man is more interested in soup and its heroines are slightly psychopathic. The executive producer gives the squabbling cast an ultimatum: Complete one episode overnight or the show dies. But when the director ends up murdered, and other cast members start dropping like flies, it seems like his threat might actually come true. Can these misfits discover the murderer before the show is literally killed off?
“The Bold, the Young, and the Murdered,” written by Don Zolidis, and directed by SLVHS seniors Jamie McLean and Asher Trageser, is coming to the Performing Arts Center at San Lorenzo Valley High School.
This complex and funny play was discovered by first-time directors McLean and Trageser earlier this year, and the dynamic duo is thrilled to bring this performance to the stage.
“We’ve been in a lot of the student-directed plays before, but this was our first time directing something ourselves. Only seniors are eligible to direct these performances,” said Trageser.
The cast is a combination of freshmen through seniors, with several Little People’s Repertory Theater graduates on board. Eight of the students are cast in dual roles, as they toggle between their on-screen soap opera characters and off-camera personas.
Adam Harold plays Miles, who Harold sees as an antagonist, and was quick to point out that, during rehearsals, the directors are still laughing at some of the scenes, which he sees as a good sign for the audience.
April Lockwood plays Brooke, the camerawoman.
“She has a lot of attitude and snarkiness, and it makes her character funny,” said Lockwood, who says she loves theater, making new friends and having experiences with others.
Juliette Mauerman plays Danielle, who Mauerman refers to as “really stupid, bubbly and annoying.”
Gwen Troxell plays Amy White, whom Troxell defines as, “Someone who is better than everyone and acts like it. She hates everyone, and doesn’t want to be there.”
Junior Maddie O’Mahony has performed in 10 different plays over the years, and is excited to be part of the cast.
“The soap opera really seems like something you would see in the corner of a laundromat on a small, dusty television,” O’Mahony said. “I really feel like even if you don’t like theater, everyone should see this show—it’s just that funny.”
Senior Roise O’Connor is a backstage crew member, but her biggest claim to fame in this play is using the “clicky” (student-speak for the movie slate board that is used during filming) to indicate when the soap opera scenes are running, and is responsible for moving props around. O’Connor was familiar with the play before it was selected for production, and she thinks it’s hilarious.
“The casting is perfect, and the way it’s been brought to life onstage is really good,” said O’Connor.
Stage crew member Frances Kent is a freshman who notes this is her first experience with theater, having come from a small private school in Santa Cruz that didn’t provide a theater arts opportunity. Senior Florian Fabiunke said the play “is a little ridiculous. Audience members need to have a suspension of belief, and let go of some of the logic around the play.”
Sophomore Monty Borthwick plays Cybil and Mona, and says, “The play is larger than life. It’s so crazy and silly and so much fun to watch it all happen.”
McLean refers to the play as a “pure, over-the-top comedy. It’s ridiculous in the best way possible, and comedic.”
“It’s about murder, so it’s really a PG performance with fake guns and no blood. There are a few jokes that have some language in them, and characters do die on stage,” said McLean.
The students agreed that the target audience is middle schoolers and up.
Scott Kravitz, a substitute teacher at SLVHS, and a theater teacher by trade, is serving as mentor for the group. He is known for his roles in various Mountain Community Theater performances, including his recent turn as Boulder Creek Fire Chief Mark Bingham in Peter Gelblum’s film, “The CZU Fire In Their Own Words,” which has been showcased at various venues around the valley.
“I sit back and let everyone do what they do. When they hit a wall, they can turn to me for advice and support to help them get over that barrier,” said Kravitz.
Looking for a few good belly laughs? Come see “The Bold, the Young, and the Murdered” at SLVHS; the play runs from Oct. 28-Nov. 6, with 7pm performances on Oct. 28 and 29, and Nov. 3, 4 and 5. There will be 2pm matinees on Oct. 30 and Nov. 6. Tickets are General – $12; Senior/Student/SLV Staff – $10, and Community Night (11/3) – $10. A limited number of tickets will be available to purchase at the door 1-hour prior to showtime; advanced tickets are available online at the SLV Theatre Boosters webpage. Advanced tickets are highly recommended.
