MHCC THEATER PRODUCTION GOES ON… WITH A TWIST!

“The show must go on!” This famous saying dates to the 19th century and is originally credited to circus acts. Later it began circulating through all manner of performing arts, and even businesses.

In the spring of 2020, however, Mt. Hood Community College’s theatre production of “The Miracle Worker” found itself cancelled due to COVID-19.

At the time, MHCC’s Theatre Artistic Director, Mace Archer, was on sabbatical to join in various performances, himself, across the country. In late 2019, he performed as the Doctor in “Tenderly,” a musical about the singer, Rosemary Clooney, opposite Deanna Maio, who portrayed Clooney. Then he worked with Mesa Community College in Phoenix, Arizona, on a production of “Dangerous Liaisons,” until COVID shut it down. Undaunted, he went to Colorado to direct a musical for the Thin Air Theater Company, but this too was cancelled in June.

And so Archer returned to MHCC determined that COVID wasn’t going to stop him from doing his job. He was eager to direct a performance again: The show must go on.

Indeed, The Miracle Worker will finally be staged in November – but with a dramatic twist.

Obviously, Archer faced a predicament, with the Mt. Hood campus still closed and quarantine still underway. But he found inspiration when he read an article about a high school performing a radio drama. After speaking with his colleague, Daryl Harrison Carson, technical director for the planned spring performance, it was agreed that MHCC’s fall theatre performance would take a similar tack.

The spring performance’s cast was contacted, and the idea of a radio drama-type production was offered. All but three students cast for the previous show returned, though one of the actors for a lead role, that of Mr. Keller, was unable to attend.

Putting on the play while maintaining social distancing has proved tricky for the MHCC Theatre Department. It was decided that the show would be broadcast over Zoom, the popular online interface app. Because of the nature of the technology, the cast has faced several challenges. For example, the timing of the performance becomes very important, lest one actor’s lines be drowned out by the slight overlap of another person’s being recited.

Sound coordination has been another tricky matter. Most students are doing their own foley work: smacking their hands, clattering silverware, scuffling chairs and slamming doors. Scene transitions have a musical interlude conducted by the production’s sound coordinator.

All of this means a great deal of modification to the original script. In fact, the script itself has almost become a living, growing organism, given life by the cast during rehearsals. Bits of stage direction are snipped out or added as needed in order to transform a stage play to a radio-style drama.

What does this mean for the character of Helen Keller? A great deal. Isabell Standley, playing the star role in her first Mt. Hood production, must work hard to make sure that she doesn’t fade into the background. And so Keller, who was deaf and blind, expresses herself in grunts, thumps and moans throughout the show.

Standley is joined by a full cast of students, many of whom are performing multiple roles. Jade Rabell, who graduated from MHCC two years ago, will act the part of Annie Sullivan, who teaches Keller how to communicate. Keller’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Keller, will be portrayed by Joseph Sauer and Cathryn Kellet, respectively. There are numerous supporting cast and crew members, comprised of MHCC students.

The Miracle Worker won’t be the end of Mt. Hood’s performances this year. With campus to remain (mostly) closed for Winter Term, the musical that normally takes place during that time will instead be a series of solo performances, performed live over Zoom.

In the spring, Archer intends to direct the anti-war Greek comedy “Lysistrata.” Since Greek theatre often includes the use of masks, this will hopefully allow the production to perform under a three-sided, tent-covered stage, while the audience will watch from their cars, he said: Think drive-in movie, but with a theatre stage, instead.

Archer says he hopes that MHCC’s broadcast department will be involved and that the audio for the spring performance will be transmitted over radio so the audience may better listen.

Though there are numerous challenges facing the production of The Miracle Worker, there are some advantages, as well. With the production broadcast on Zoom via the internet, anyone virtually anywhere will be able to listen in. This must be an exciting turn for any cast members with family or friends that are not in the immediate area.

The play itself will have two runs. The first week will be three performances, each of which will be recorded. The second week the performances will use either a replay of the best of the three recordings, or, if needed, an edited version of clips from each of the three.

Week One shows will be livestreamed on Nov. 13, 14 and 15, with the first two shown at 7:30 p.m. and the third at 2 p.m. The pre-recorded performances will air at 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 20-21, and at 2 p.m. on Nov. 22.

If you’d like to experience the Zoom performance of The Miracle Worker, send an email to Archer at [email protected] and request an invite link. Links will be sent out the day before the performance. Attendees will not be allowed to have their cameras or microphones turned on, so as not to detract from the performance.