With lighter days and brighter horizons ahead, the class of 2016 continues to work hard in the culminating project of the high school experience: The Senior Play. This year’s play will feature the epochal artistry of the Marx Brothers in the comedy Animal Crackers. In the artfully adapted film derived from the musical, George Kaufman and Morrie Ryskind bring a fresh coat of paint to an age-old comedy perfect for all ages. The senior class will perform Animal Crackers on June 2nd and 4th at 8 pm in the School Auditorium. Admission will be set at $8 per person or $20 per family. The director of the play, Deirdre Somers, remarked, “Animal Crackers is not only one of my favorite Marx Brother’s productions but also one of my favorite films. The original play meets the film’s appeal pound for pound, and likewise so does each actor and actress performing in the production. No personality or characteristic is lost either, as every student manages to not only take on a classic persona, but also introduce something new to the character, allowing for an original performance that both newcomers to the Marx Brother’s scene and longtime fans will enjoy.”

Originally a musical, Animal Crackers was released in 1928 under the guidance and direction of Morrie Ryskind and George S. Kaufman. The musical starred the infamous Marx Brothers, Zeppo, Harpo, Groucho and Chico Marx, and imprinted itself in comedic culture in the late 20’s. Its success as a production was fully realized with a film release under the direction of Victor Heerman two years later. The release in 1930 marked the next step of fame and relative fortune for the Marx Brothers and brought light to the grim world of Post-Crash America.

Throughout the four-week production of Animal Crackers, the Senior Class has been unrelenting in dedication and hard work. The constant flow of ideas, creating positive solutions has developed an environment truly representative of a senior class. Every day the students draw from past experiences, not only in acting, but also in set and costume design, carpentry, dancing, singing and much more. This type of dedication and hard work is ubiquitous in the production environment and truly reflects the nature of the class of 2016. The light in each student’s eye each day continues to shine bright as the class of 2016 readies the culminating gift of its high school career.