Asking out someone to a school dance, confronting bullies, dealing with emotionally rattling issues like suicide and pregnancy, and navigating cliques define experiences many high school students face.
Actor and stand-up comedian Brad Slaight has written a series of plays focusing on the day-to-day life of teenage students. One of those productions, "Second Class," will bring these topics to light, and Scene One Theatre will deliver them to local audiences at 7 p.m. July 6-7 and July 18-21.
"While our teenage years may be the most challenging, they can also be the most fun and memorable years of our lives," Director Shae Marie Eickhoff said. "'Second Class' focuses on all those moments from the dances and prom, yearbook and taking the ACT to issues such as teenage suicide, pregnancy, bullying and communicating via social media."
The 12-member cast, ages 15-18, includes Gio Acosta, Hannah Burkybile, Hannah Dolan, Juliet Dupuis, Nick Gladbach, Rachel Howard, Lydia Lamb, Troy Ludwig, Xander McGowin, Lauren Micke, Ben Stumpe and Blakelee Sutton. Each teenage actor doesn't just play one role or high school stereotype like the cheerleader or the jock. They act out short scenes, scenarios and monologues, and take on completely opposite characters from cheerleader and jock, nerd and brainiac, to angst-filled rebel and bully, Eickhoff said.
"This extremely talented ensemble of teenagers will tackle a wide range of topics troubling today's youth," she said. "Don't be misled that this is just a high school play. While it is a play about high school featuring high-schoolers, these actors will amaze you with their depth of character."
With lots of activity happening at Scene One Theatre in the last few months, Eickhoff has worked with individual cast members and small groups on specific scenes and monologues. They have only come together to rehearse a couple times, but she has seen that "depth of character" and their own realistic reactions as high-schoolers to issues relatable to fellow teens in their own community.
"Several of the students have said, this is so weird and uncomfortable because it is not me. I said I hope it is not you; I hope you are not a bully or considering teenage suicide. I had to ask them if they are OK with playing those parts, but they said, 'I want to be challenged.' To them, it is just so real to life and so true," Eickhoff said. "Every generation, it's harder. We often face some of the same challenges, but each generation, they deal with more complex issues. I sit there in awe of this cast, how they are dealing with that inner dialogue and how they are developing these characters."
Eickhoff's children were in another Slaight play, "Class Action," when Scene One Theatre founder Mark Wegman directed it 10 years ago. Her son, Alex, has now come back to his theatrical stomping grounds to assist his mother in painting a mural that creates the perception of walking down a long hallway of the high school.
"When you look at this set, you see the commons of the school as the main acting area; that is where the cliques gather. Modern Litho/Brown Printing created a vinyl seal to represent the code of arms of the school," Eickhoff said, noting they took the liberty in calling the school Theodore Roosevelt High School in Jefferson City after the theatre's famed motto from the president, "That's Bully!"
Eickhoff's assistant director Zak McKinney, who is the drama teacher at Jefferson City High School, and production manager Patrick Pollock were also in "Class Action" 10 years ago. Their talents, as well as those from actor and student director Hannah Dolan and stage manager Gabbi Dupuis have helped make the entire thrust-style stage production highly appealing to the audience.
"Most theater productions use a proscenium style where the action is in front of the audience. We also use a lot of productions done in the round, where the audience circles the stage. However, this is thrust style, where the audience is on three sides of the stage. Instead of seeing things flat, you are seeing them in 3D," she said. "You could come several times and get a different perspective each time with different views of these actors. It is more how we really view life.
"Scene One is unique in that it's a small venue, where you are up close and personal and these actors. You can feel the emotions, you can see the sweat. We want the audience to see those small expressions. As an actor I love the intimacy. You can feel the energy of the audience when you are acting and that promotes a better performance."
Eickhoff enjoys directing, acting and teaching others through private lessons at her company, "Out of the Box." She likes to empower teens "to be the best they can be" and finds "Second Class" truly gives every student from every walk of life a way to shine in the spotlight.
"They are the future and next generation of actors. These characters, not everybody has the perfect staple household," she said. "No matter where these kids come from, we want everybody to feel like a star, loved and validated."
Tickets for "Second Class" are $15, except for July 18 where admission is $8.
For more information or to purchase tickets, call 573-636-6713, email [email protected] or visit sceneonetheatre.com.