LOS ALAMITOS, CA — Los Alamitos High School’s drama class is currently rehearsing its upcoming show, “Drop Dead!,” directed by Ms. Castiglione. Show dates are Oct. 19 at 7 p.m., Oct. 20 at 7 p.m., and Oct. 21 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. “Drop Dead!” will premier in the Performing Arts Center (PAC) near room 511. Tickets cost as low as $12 and can be purchased online and at lunch beginning Oct. 9, or at the door before the show.
“This is a play-within-a-play murder mystery where everything goes wrong,” Ms. Castiglione wrote in an email. “The audience should pay attention to ALL characters and situations!”
The show is a non-stop physical comedy that turns the world of theater on its head, according to Van Zandt and Milmore Productions. In the play, a cast of have-been actors plan to revive their careers in “Drop Dead!,” a potboiler murder mystery directed by Victor Le Pewe. However, at the dress rehearsals, everything goes wrong. The set falls apart, props break, and to make matters worse, the producer and one of the actors are murdered.
But the show must go on! And so it does: At the opening night performance, murders continue and the play turns further into disaster. The remaining performer must save the show and their careers, solve the mystery, and stay alive until curtain call.
The cast of “Drop Dead!” consists of only ten Los Al students: Tom Curd, Olivia Graser, Nathan Spolter, Tanner Linn, Mason Potter, Lily Martinez, Eden Fisk, Evan Pagan, Myles Zintl, and Brooke Singleton.
“[The message for the audience is] to treat others with kindness when things don’t go well for you. That is shown throughout the production,” said sophomore Evan Pegan, one of the actors. “For example, one character commits murder and soon after deals with many challenges.”
The play is full of clever humor and unexpected twists. You’ll be laughing non-stop!
“The hardest part of rehearsal in my opinion is not laughing at the other actors, especially when there is physical contact and someone breaks character,” Singleton, another actor, said. “There is a lot of physical contact in the show, so it makes it very difficult to stay calm.”
Intrigue awaits as Los Al drama brings “Drop Dead!” to the stage, promising a hilarious and thrilling theater experience that will keep the audience on the edge of their seats. Get ready to witness a play where chaos and comedy collide. And remember, in this murder mystery, anything can happen!
