This past October, Lamar Texans Theatre Company began their theatre season with a heartwarming classic, Little Women, a play about the four March sisters battling society, financial stress, and marriage. The sisters, Jo, played by Wesley Taaffe, Meg, played by Sophia Icsezen, Beth, played by Camila Delgado, and Amy, played by Naz Demir, must overcome the trials that come with growing up- and becoming women.
Auditions began on August 20, with a massive turnout of 50 people coming to showcase their talents and secure a spot on the stage. “I was very excited,” says Demir. “I’ve loved Little Women for so long, and being able to audition for it even if I didn’t get a role was very special to me.”
The directors, Paige Popovec and Steve Carpentier, had to choose diligently who they wanted on stage from the bountiful talent that had appeared. “Little Women has so many difficult aspects,” says Ms. Popovec. “It is a really hard show, not just acting wise, but with the technical aspects like costume changes and set changes once we hit Tech Week, things are going to get very difficult.”
But to the actors, just having the opportunity to be on stage gives them the energy to come to rehearsals every day after school until 6:30. Senior Wesley Taaffe finds rehearsals to be the highlight of her day. “I am here almost every day after school until 6:30 and a lot of people are like, why the heck do you do that to yourself?! I’m here from August to June until 6:30 but it is the part I look forward to everyday, getting to spend time with my people.” Taaffe says.
This sense of community is something that keeps LTTC up and running during every single show. “It makes it pretty easy to get all the scenes done because if I slip up, they can help me get back in my place.” says sophomore Cooper Gorell.
But to the people who run this show, the students are the thing that keeps them going. “It very difficult to balance so much,” says co-director Ms. Popovec. “Not only do I have to balance the directing and technical aspects, but I also have to balance teaching. I’m the only person who teaches what I teach, so I don’t have a team of teachers like other teachers do. I couldn’t do it without my students. I really rely on those people who are in charge of costumes, in charge of props, my actors; I rely on them to do their work and to help the show. Theatre is a collaboration. I can’t do it by myself.”
Once rehearsals began, students began showing up and showing out in order to have everything ready by opening night. But not all work for the stage. Some, like Lauren Hervey, work backstage in order to create the beautiful sets, props and costumes for Little Women. “Tech jobs are special because without sets and all the designs that create the world of the play then the actors would be acting on a blank stage,” says Hervey. She, among other technicians, works to have everything prepared for actors, from the quilts for the March sisters, to the whistling sound Jo makes.
For the actors, rehearsals are a crucial part of mastering their role. Sophomore Brandon Wade, who plays Laurie, believes that his part is a good fit. “I felt like I left it all on the stage. I feel like I fit the role very well.” says Wade. Everyone involved with Little Women had to balance their acting lives and school lives, something that many struggle to do. “It’s really just communication between the stage managers, the directors, and the actors,” says stage manager Jayden Washer. “A lot of the time, I do homework after rehearsals and on weekends. I have to create a schedule with my directors, especially when I’m struggling catching up with all my work. They understand that being a student comes first.”
He, his assistant stage manager, and the directors, work together to make sure every aspect of the show is running smoothly. “It is extremely satisfying to be working with people who are always bringing their best,” says director Steve Carpentier. “That’s how you know the show is going to be very, very good and the production is going to be very, very good because of the time and effort that we put into it to bring any story to life.”
But as closing night comes to an end, the beautiful production of Little Women will be ingrained into the actors, the technicians and the audience’s hearts. “We have so many talented students who work so hard; from the acting to the technical elements, to the costumes, to the set and it’s such a funny show, but what I love about the script is that it’s heartwarming and it makes you feel so many different emotions at many different points. The story is really good at making you love these characters.” says Ms. Popovec. “I know when audiences see this, they will love us and this show.”
So as the touching chapter of Little Women closes on LTTC, the actors, technicians, directors and stage managers will be ready to show the acting world how hard work is the best to success, and we will be here to revel in it.
