Creep into Lenape High School’s auditorium in mid-November for a satirical fall show.
The school will host “The Creature Creeps,” a 1977 play by Jack Sharkey, on Thursday, Nov. 15, Friday, Nov. 16 and Saturday, Nov. 17 at 7 p.m.
There is an $8 entrance fee for adults in advance or at the door. Lenape students can attend for the discounted rate of $5.
“’The Creature Creeps’ is a play that’s basically a satire of monster movies from the 40s and 50s,” said Director Will Bausch, an English teacher at Lenape.
The type of play where a mad scientist creates a spooky creature, he said.
Reference points originate from “Dracula,” “The Munsters” and “Frankenstein.”
The 12 cast members have been doing their homework.
“We gave a few of them different assignments for their characters,” Bausch said.
One watched “Dracula.” Another researched Marilyn Monroe.
“All of these characters are extreme versions of what you’d see in movies and TV shows in that time period,” he said.
In the play, a mysterious man housed in a castle in Transylvania is rumored to be a mad scientist. His daughter, who is engaged to be married, is home from college.
A chain of events begins.
People begin disappearing from the village.
What’s going on?
The play, which runs for about 2½ hours, is being performed for the first time at Lenape.
About 20 students, several of whom have roles behind the scenes, as well as an array of teachers, are helping in production.
Jerry Boggs, 2011’s teacher of the year recipient, is building the sets.
Teachers Robynn Hecht, Becky Rector and Len Nicholas, too, have roles, from painting supervision to sounds and lights.
So, what to expect?
“It’s a lot of fun,” said Bausch. “People are going to be laughing constantly.”
Really, he said, the atmosphere will be what one would expect from a 1940s to 1950s style horror movie, with thunder, lightning, screams and darkness emanating from the stage.
According to the play’s Amazon.com description, “This hilarious send up of the horror story genre has an ancient castle, creaking doors, a mad scientist, his misshapen assistant, a grim housekeeper, secret laboratory, shrieks from the depths of the cellar, disappearing villagers, an incredibly stalwart and stupid hero of sterling character, the scientist’s absolutely dopey daughter, and so many laughs you’ll lose count.”
High turnout at the school is expected, especially since the play comes shortly after Halloween.
“A lot of kids are very interested in it,” said Bausch.
The actors, who will go by names such as “Olga” and “Heidi,” largely put their jobs, sports and club activities on hold to participate, he said.
“If they commit to this, besides for their families and school, this is their number one commitment,” he said. “They drop a lot of things.”
Rehearsals began the second week of September.
“You gotta do it very quickly,” he said.
If the play coincides too close with the Christmas holiday, students become busy, and, he said, “nobody comes.”
Actors include one sophomore with the remainder consisting of juniors and seniors.
As for the mad scientist and castle owner, Bausch did not want to serve up too much information on the mystery.
Fall plays generally have a tighter knit cast, he said, while musicals are able to include many more students.
Spring 2012’s play was “The Wizard of Oz.”
Coming in Spring 2013 will be “Legally Blonde.”
People who attend the satirical “The Creature Creeps” will have an eccentric experience.
“It’s hilarious,” Baush said.
The details
“The Creature Creeps” will be performed at Lenape High School, 235 Hartford Road, Medford, on Thursday, Nov. 15, Friday, Nov. 16 and Saturday, Nov. 17 at 7 p.m. in the auditorium.
For more information, contact Will Bausch at wbausch@lrhsd.org.
