Picnic at Hanging Rock is a Success!

Congratulations to the Marymount Players for their gripping performances in this year’s fall production, Picnic at Hanging Rock.

Adapted from the 1967 novel of the same name, Picnic at Hanging Rock tells the story of a group of boarding school girls who disappear while on a picnic at Victoria, Australia’s famed ‘Hanging Rock.’ This nail-biting theatrical tale featured seasoned actors and novices alike. From 'newly minted' freshmen to seniors who have been part of the Players for years, the cast threw themselves wholly into their roles for this unresolved mystery.

Senior Jessie Zelaya, who has performed in every Players production since her freshman year, reflected on the experience, noting that she really ‘enjoyed working on establishing the tense atmosphere that lent itself to the mystery of the play, which was unlike anything we’ve done recently. The ensemble cast, the mystery, contemporary light, sound and set fixtures all came together in a really special way for this production.”
 
For freshman Sydney Freeman, the newness of the genre and production set-up was punctuated by the task of transforming back and forth between her two very different characters – an older man who drives the group of students to their picnic at the Rock, and a young girl who is left behind to toil over poetry with her overbearing headmistress. Nevertheless, Sydney relished in the opportunity, and like Jessie before her, foresees a long career of theater productions while at Marymount. 
 
Of Marymount Players in general, Jessie notes, “We concentrate on the human connection, emotion and energy within each ensemble. Working with the Players  has given me a sense of commitment and discipline. A lot of energy and hard work go in to bringing justice to a playwright’s script and story.”
 
Thanks to actor Hannah Haas ’16,  Director Claire Hackett was able help her actors ‘bring justice’ to Picnic at Hanging Rock, a particularly complex play, through a master class with the playwright herself, Laura Annayan Shamas. The playwright’s dynamic and inspiring presentation helped to shepherd the dedicated cast through the challenging waters of this complicated and thought-provoking story.


TO SEE A FULL ALBUM FROM THE SHOW, CLICK HERE.
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