![Drew and Audrey in "Almost, Maine"]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1623881617/gunneryorg/lbh0cfm3lzvoorbxh5bt/DSC_3268.jpg","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1623881617/gunneryorg/lbh0cfm3lzvoorbxh5bt/DSC_3268.jpg","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1623881617/gunneryorg/lbh0cfm3lzvoorbxh5bt/DSC_3268.jpg","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_4/v1623881617/gunneryorg/lbh0cfm3lzvoorbxh5bt/DSC_3268.jpg","width":1200},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_5/v1623881617/gunneryorg/lbh0cfm3lzvoorbxh5bt/DSC_3268.jpg","width":1600},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_6/v1623881617/gunneryorg/lbh0cfm3lzvoorbxh5bt/DSC_3268.jpg","width":2200}])
Congratulations to the cast and crew of “Almost, Maine,” who garnered a total of seven Halo Award nominations. Presented annually, the Halo Awards celebrate the best in Connecticut high school theater. This year’s Halo Awards will be presented virtually on Saturday, July 10, at 7 p.m. Tickets are free and may be reserved online through Seven Angels Theatre. You must register in advance to view the online awards presentation.
The Frederick Gunn School Drama Society was nominated in the following categories:
- Best Costume Design/Execution: Lucy Sanchez ’23
- Best Scenic Design and/or Execution: Ursula Anderson ’22, Allie Bruck ’22, Acadia Johnson ’21, Serdar Kaltalioglu ’22, Kate O'Farrell ’22 and Lucy Sanchez ’23
- Best Running Crew
- Best Performance by a Couple or Dynamic Duo in a Play: Emma Smith ’22 and Quentin Sheers ’22
- Best Performance by a Cast in an Ensemble Play
- Best Female Standout Performance in an Ensemble Play: Erin-Elizabeth Ryan ’21
- Best Contemporary Play
“Almost, Maine,” is a romantic comedy written by John Cariani. This production was directed by Sarah Archer of the World Languages and Performing Arts faculty and was presented May 20 and 22 to a limited live and virtual audience from the Tisch Family Auditorium of the Thomas S. Perakos Arts and Community Center.
Archer was proud of all of the students involved in the spring play, noting they took ownership of all aspects of the production, from the acting to the props, sets and set changes. The May 22 performance in particular could not have gone better. “It was as perfect of a run as you can get in live theater. You never reach perfection, but it was pretty good,” she said.
Acadia Johnson’s ’21 was outstanding as the stage manager, and accepted responsibility for calling cues during the live performance, a task no other student has taken on in recent years. “She wants to continue doing this sort of thing at some level in the future. I don’t know whether it’s professionally or through local theater but she really stepped up and did an amazing job through all of the rehearsals and performances and tech.”
“As a teacher and coach it is the best feeling to see the students grasp more ownership of it,” Archer added. “We had kids helping troubleshoot things when we were building the spinning platform. Serdar, ever the engineer, added washers to lift it up. They stepped up in a lot of ways. Then, as far as the actors, they did so many lines. It was a 90-minute show with only five actors. There isn’t a lot of action. The magic is in the dialogue and they did it.”
View more photos from “Almost, Maine,” in our SmugMug Gallery.
