BUCKFIELD – It’s 3 p.m. on Thursday and Buckfield High School’s cafeteria-turned-theater is in chaos.
The student director gestures and shouts so she can be heard over set construction. With a sudden transportation problem, two teenagers brainstorm ways to get their large props to Waterville in time for Saturday’s regional competition.
“Minivan?” asks one. “Hot air balloon?”
Whitney Kangas waits desperately for her collapsible wooden washing machine to be built. She has to pop out of the thing during the one-act play, “Soap Opera,” but in the final hours of rehearsal, a flat square is the only piece Kangas has.
She crouches in the middle of that.
“I’m very excited about this. I’m feeling it. I’m feeling it,” she said. “I’m going to get a leg cramp.”
The tiny after-school drama group has worked for more than two months on the 30-minute comedy about a repairman who falls in love with a washing machine. They’ve shouted and cajoled, wheedled and rummaged to pull the play together in time. But issues remained.
Some of the teens wondered: Would it all be enough?
Adrenaline rush
In the final hours there are weather problems, transportation problems, problems with props. The group had never held a complete dress rehearsal because snow kept canceling school.
Since they were scheduled to head to Waterville Friday and compete there today, Thursday was the last day to practice. They planned a marathon rehearsal: 2:30 p.m. until “whenever.”
None of the 14 teenagers complained.
“Last year when we went, people didn’t have their lines memorized. The year before that, the last scene wasn’t written yet when we got there,” said 17-year-old Cheryl Powers, the student director. “So we’re prepared, comparatively. Which isn’t totally prepared.”
During the competition, they’ll have five minutes to put up and take down everything. If they go over that time limit, they will be disqualified.
Unlike many of the 75 other schools involved, Buckfield has never before had the luxury of sets, major props or half-decent costumes. The group gets no funding from the school system, drama coach Judi Weeks said. They raised money for “Soap Opera” by putting on a Christmas play.
The kids say the amenities may help them beat their competitors and make it to the statewide competition at the end of the month. But during an already frantic Thursday practice, they had to learn how to deal with sets and special effects, including a crawling baby doll that kept tipping over.
“It’s an adrenaline rush. There’s a lot of satisfaction,” said 17-year-old Harley Swanson.
Within a few hours, Kangas had her new washing machine. The sound and lights were ready. Actors took their places.
By 10 p.m., the group had gone through its first and last dress rehearsal.
Twelve hours later, they learned that the frantic final rehearsal wasn’t final.
The Maine Principals’ Association postponed the competition because of snow.
They would get another week. Whether they needed it or not.
“It doesn’t even matter how you do. It’s just going there,” said Kangas. “It’s the highlight of my year.”
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