Fall plays hit high school stage

Four people direct three one-acts that all deal with human relationships

By Nancy Townsley

The Forest Grove News-Times, Nov 12, 2009, Updated Nov 17, 2009

Chase Allgood / News-Times

Soren Smith rehearses his role as T.J. in “Candid,” a one-act play directed by Forest Grove High School students Hannah Cadd and Kylie Marble. Three plays open Thursday in Ellen Stevens Auditorium.

ADVERTISEMENTS

Two sides of human relationships — the challenges they can bring and the happiness they can engender — will be explored in a trio of fall plays at Forest Grove High School starting this week.

So says Hannah Cadd, a senior who’s co-directing one of the one-act plays.

“All three one-acts have a common theme of relationships,” noted Cadd, who directs the play “Candid” with fellow senior Kylie Marble.

Drama instructor Bonnie McCabe has taken a back seat in producing the one-acts, which also include “Common Ground,” directed by FGHS English teacher Dayna Willms, and “Something in the Air,” directed by Pacific University alumnus Madalyn Clemmence.

In “Candid,” a young photographer named T.J. chronicles the break-up of his family after his mother walks out. The demise of the family and its devastating effects are captured in photographic flashbacks.

Thirteen young people are featured in “Common Ground.” They interact in a coffee shop, working to discover truths about themselves and each other.

The cast includes Frannie Monahan, Zach Skjele, Joshua Schneider, Olivia Johnson, Anne Maney, Kira Hall, Kjersti Krueger, Diana Gray, Forest Fleenor, Peter Lommen, Alex Gephart, Ian Knowles and Angelica Brown.

Clemmence said she selected “Something in the Air” by Stephen Gregg “because the themes of love and like and what we go through to ... take a chance on someone is something we can all relate to.”

Cast members are Ashley Kerns, Spencer Skjele, Chelsa Kavels, Patrick Murphy, Brandon Finn-Skyles, Taryn Judah, Zach Skjele, Diana Gray and Kira Hall. “Flight attendants” are Sean Cullins, Daniel Troolines and Ian Lindsay.

The play “is a perfect combination of sophistication and cheesiness that explores the hidden layers in building relationships,” Clemmence said.