Richard Epstein

Chaos ensues after Inspector Carter messes up while dusting for finger prints

On Saturday, Nov. 18, Del Val’s theater program put on an enjoyable version of  “The Play that Goes Wrong.”

“The Play that Goes Wrong” is a comical play about a drama group that puts on a production which falls apart. The comedy starts with The Cornley Drama Society putting on a play known as “The Murder at Haversham Manor.” The classic murder mystery story begins with the death of Charles Haversham, then follows as the characters try to figure out who is responsible for the murder.

Throughout the play “The Murder at Haversham Manor,” everything seems to go wrong, hence the name of the production. With actors appearing to forget lines and scenery falling down, Del Val students do a fantastic job of depicting a play that actually goes into disarray. From a viewer’s perspective, watching in horror as props become missing and fights ensue between actors proves to be comical.

The play did a good job drawing in the community. Throughout the three shows, the audience continued to grow every night. On Thursday’s opening night, roughly 200 people came to attend. By the final showing on Saturday, the crowd had increased to over 300.

Although The Cornley Drama Society’s production of “The Murder at Haversham Manor” is a huge disaster, Del Val’s version of “The Play that Goes Wrong” was a success. The play fully captured the audience’s attention throughout the entire play.

“In my opinion, it was pretty good,” said McKenzie Petsch. “All the characters were well portrayed by the actors.”

Assistant Director Bessy Kapetanakis explained how Del Val theater students got to play a special part in choosing this year’s fall play.

“Mrs. Cartwright [director] put out a questionnaire last year and asked the students what play they would like to preform,” said Kapetanakis. “They came up with ‘The Play That Goes Wrong.'”

While watching the play, it was evident that the actors really do enjoy their work.

“The process has been difficult some days, easy others, but overall, it has been a great experience and a lot of fun,” said freshmen Nolen Petty.

Throughout the whole ensemble there was plenty of great acting, clearly showing the hours of effort the group put into this production. However, some of the most outstanding performances within the show were from Jessica Mcglothlin as Sandra Wilkinson/Florence Colleymore and Maxim Verdicchio as Max Bennet/Cecil Haversham.

Overall, the play consisted of strong acting, a unique set design and excellent directing.

If you are interested in watching a well put together show, you should consider checking out a performance put on by the Del Val Theater program. Their next performances will be the musical “Newsies” in March 2024.