Let the show begin! This October, the Glenbard South Theater department is kicking off a new school year with the student-led production, “Where the Wild Things Are,” produced and written by senior Kaitlyn Urbanowicz. The play is an adaptation of the children’s book, “Where the Wild Things Are,” which is about a boy named Max whose daydreams take him to the unpredictable land of the Wild Things.
Because there are not many words in the children’s book, Urbanowicz used their imagination to write and bring together this story. “I’ve loved theater since I was 7 years old,” said Urbanowicz. “I’ve been writing my own plays since I was 12, and when the opportunity kind of presented itself to write one for the high school theater department, I was so excited.” Kaitlyn also shared some valuable lessons that they gained from the rehearsal process. They said, “This is the first time I’ve written a play, but not then directed it myself, and I think it really kind of taught me how to step back and let my work live in the way that other people interpret it.”
Joining Kaitlyn on the leadership team is junior Olivia Abbott, the student director for “Where the Wild Things Are.” This is her first time being on the production team for a theatrical production. When asked about her experience, she responded, “I am loving it. It is super fun to see the ideas that I have in my head put onto a stage. It’s an incredible experience to be able to communicate my ideas with the actors and [then see them] follow what I say.”
Both Abbott and Urbanowicz were a part of this show’s casting process. The two agreed that they had many excellent auditioners. In the end, they are both very happy with their casting choices and think that everyone is doing well in their roles. One of the selected cast members was sophomore Kanik Lafrancis. Lafrancis is in the ensemble. Speaking about her experience during the casting process, she said, “It’s pretty nerve-racking, but I felt pretty confident in myself and capabilities.”
Of course, no play would be complete without the crew. Breanne Crawford, a junior, is the scenic designer for “Where the Wild Things Are.” She is responsible for designing the play’s set. She also supervised the meetings for the show’s Build and Paint Crew, instructing her fellow crew members on the best set building and painting techniques. This play also marks Crawford’s first time being on a theatrical production team. During rehearsal, half of the students on Build and Paint Crew work on painting and the other half building. Breanne comes around to check and make sure everyone is ok and to see if they have any questions. “I think [my favorite part of the play is] just how detailed the set is. We’ve been working so much. Shout out to Ms. Wallace!” Crawford continued, “[We] got to put a lot of time and effort into the set, and I think it’s a very beautiful set.”
The show premieres on October 31 at 7:30 p.m. The two following showtimes are on November 1 at 4:30 p.m. and November 2 at 2:00 p.m. Tickets cost $5 with the link that Glenbard South Theater has posted on their Instagram. Congratulations to the production team, cast, crew and staff members involved with this show!
