Winthrop High School Drama Society will be performing a condensed, 40-minute version of “Eve-ryman†during the Massachusetts Educational Theater Guild High School Theater Festival 2022 Re-gional Round on Saturday, April 2, at North Reading High School.
“Everyman†was co-written by Dan Tracy, senior, and Zoe Long, junior, as an adaptation of a morali-ty play that was originally composed by an anonymous source in the 1500s. The friends modernized “Everyman†from its Christian model to a more accessible narrative about the desire of material goods and lust.
“I loved the writing process. It was a fun experience to experiment with new kinds of writing,†ex-claimed Zoe, who also plays Kindred. “It’s nice seeing your work put on stage with many talented people bringing it to a height that you never thought it could go to. Seeing it come alive was my favorite part.â€
Everyman, portrayed by Chris Raney, junior, represents the common man working in a factory circa the Industrial Revolution. When Death appears to him and reveals that his life will end at sundown, Everyman journeys down a path of self-discovery.
“God is mad at humanity. When He created them, He wanted them to be for kindness, family, and love. He wants to teach humanity a lesson,†explained Zoe, who is excited to bond and converse with participants at the festival.
“Everyman†has a cast and crew of 28 members, and will be performing first on stage at 9:30 A.M. at regionals. Fourteen winners from across the state will continue to the final round. Stage Manag-er Jolena Zaccaria is looking forward to feeling relaxed while viewing the following plays.
“My favorite part was the beginning process of rehearsals because little groups would work on movement pieces for scenes and perform them in front of the rest of the group,†said Jolena, sen-ior. “It was interesting watching people create and give feedback.â€
The Drama Society will be presenting a dress rehearsal on Thursday, March 31, at 7 P.M., for the community. Admission is free; donations are welcome.
“My favorite part was seeing the script evolve,†said Chris, who is eager to see the hard work that other schools have put into their plays. “It was cool developing Everyman as a character and breathe life into that. I’m proud.â€