Students act like 'Fools'

Students are usually encouraged to show their smarts in school, but this week's production by the Sisters High School drama department has them acting like "Fools" - from Neil Simon's comic fable, "Fools," that is.

"I get to act stupid all night," said James Lewis, who plays the role of Dr. Zubritsky. "It's awesome."

You see, the Ukrainian village at the center of "Fools" is living under a curse that renders its inhabitants "unintelligent."

The story begins when Leon, an ambitious young schoolteacher, arrives in a Ukrainian village during the turn of the last century. He encounters a rather "unintelligent" shepherd, then goes off to find the home of Dr. Zubritsky, his new employer.

After struggling to communicate with the locals, he is introduced to Sophia, and is immediately love struck. Alas, she proves to be just as unintelligent as the rest of them, if not more so. They're all fools! He discovers that the town's idiocy is no accident, that it is a 200-year curse of stupidity cast on them by the wicked Count Gregor. Leon tries to educate Sophia within 24 hours to lift the curse and restore the village to normalcy.

This two-act comedy is directed by Gary Bowne, instructor of Theatre Arts and the Americana Project. The cast includes 11 actors from Bowne's Play Production Class. James Lewis, Grayson Gould and Chris Epperson lead the cast of wacky supporting characters while juniors Dallas Frederick and Julia Rahm are featured in the leading roles.

"I am Sophia Zubritsky," said Julia Rahm at Monday's dress rehearsal. "As with anyone else in the village, she's quite stupid."

Rahm said she is enjoying working on the production.

"I really like it, because it's comedy; it's more light," she said.

Other cast members include Ally Wimer, Dawsen Helms, Patience Pinnard, Tadelle Fuchs, Carrie Weaver and Bryant Lasken. Members of the new Technical Theatre Class are leading the production team and will assemble a student crew to run lights and sound.

Bryant Lasken, who plays a mail carrier, said he enjoys drama because "I like acting like someone else - along with the dressing up. You don't get to do that too often."

Monday's rehearsal reflected the difficulties of pulling together a production at Sisters High School, where students are often involved in multiple activities. Two girls were late to rehearsal because they had to tell their volleyball coach they couldn't practice that day.

Lasken said it's been challenging to get everyone to rehearsals, but he's confident the whole cast is ready to go.

"Fools" will run Wednesday-Saturday, October 22-25 at 7:30 p.m. at Sisters High School auditorium. Tickets are available at the door: $6 for adults; $3 for students

Wednesday's opening-night performance is free to all Sisters students and school district employees with valid ID.