Audiences react positively to ‘Cyrano’

Students, parents and teachers alike watched and enjoyed the last student production of the year, “Cyrano de Bergerac,” directed by senior Andrew York in shows that took place Feb. 6-8. 

“Finally seeing over three months of intense effort be performed in front of a very enthusiastic crowd made the past weekend the proudest days of my life,” York said.

The cast faced issues with sound effects during performances; however, they were able to push past the difficulties, he said.

In fact, “Cyrano” now holds the record of being the best-selling student production: Every show was sold out.

In the show, junior Emily Ludwig played Roxanne, sophomores Raymond McCarthy played Cyrano and Zach Grob-Lipkis played Christian.

The cast and crew had to bring in bean bags and couch cushions to accommodate the overflow audience members. York thinks that having people sit at different heights and angles in the Thermond Drama Center added to the intensity of the set and play.

York  on the “edge of their seats” during fighting scenes and crying during emotional ones.

“Seeing people still struggle with their emotions after the show — quite a few people were still sobbing after curtain call — really made me feel proud because it allowed me to see how much of an impact theatre has on people,” York said.

Junior Ankitha Sarvesh, who watched the show, especially loved how the cast used every “every corner of the drama center.” 

York’s favorite part of the production was working with his actors. In the three months they had been rehearsing, he feels that they have grown together as a family, which makes the show that much more special.

Junior Emily Ludwig, who played Roxane, Cyrano’s cousin and love interest, felt that the audience’s reactions to the play were motivational during performance nights.

“The first night, the audience was really active and laughing at all the jokes and so I found myself responding more to that,” Ludwig said. “I delivered lines differently every night and saw different things about Roxane every night.”

Due to the show’s length of two and a half hours, Ludwig stated that it was difficult to stay in character at times, especially during the last scene which was very emotional. 

“The play is hilarious and the people in the cast are so terribly funny that I had trouble not laughing sometimes,” Ludwig said.

Overall, however, Ludwig believes that the cast did justice to the plays range of messages and delivered great performances on each night to the the audiences that awaited them.

“We created something everyone can relate with,” York said. “We created something everyone could enjoy. We created an experience that will stay with us for the rest of our lives.”