Twenty-two young thespians at St. Martin de Porres High School put on their first in-person performance since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic – a who-dunnit-style dinner theatre mystery – on March 30.
According to drama teacher Jessica Hamilton, the play – titled Murder on the 518 – centred on a “crazy group of characters” that were each heading from Salt Lake City, Utah to Los Angeles, California, where their stories collide and tragedy strikes.
All bound for the same place, a newlywed couple, a long-time married couple, a detective, musician, writer, paparazzi, a diva and her assistant, and a business pharmaceutical rep and assistant all try to unveil the murder mystery.
“They’re all on the train, ready to go to L.A. and throughout their journey, two people get killed – first the diva, then the paparazzi. The train passengers try to figure out who done it and to whom, and why,” she said. “It’s a fun little comedic character play.”
Hamilton added the return to in-person performances is a welcome change for the students, who hadn't been able to perform in front of a live audience since the pandemic began.
“I think kids need a voice and they need to be seen, and I think it’s an opportunity for those who don’t always get seen or heard to show what they’re really made of and to build their confidence and be part of something that’s really special,” she said.
Hamilton, alongside fellow teachers Sara Neumiller and Alex Ball, formed the after-school drama club to give St. Martin de Porres students an opportunity to participate in theatre outside of their regular curriculum.
She said the club is open to any students in grades 9 to 12 at the school, regardless of whether they are enrolled in a drama course as part of their regular programming.
“It gives students an opportunity to participate in drama, even if their schedule doesn’t allow them to,” Hamilton said.
She added because of restrictions on in-person gatherings during the pandemic, the club’s regularly scheduled practices and performances took on a new direction, adding it has been an “interesting year” for the club.
“We started this in September and because of all the regulations and all of the ups and downs, we were finally able to perform,” she said.
Leading up to a performance, the club tries to meet at least two to three times a week – twice after school and once during the day – with rehearsals lasting an hour and a half to two hours each.
In a normal year, Hamilton said the club rehearses for a few months leading up to their dinner theatre production, or for the entire school year in the event they are hosting a larger musical production.
“Because we’re not equipped like Bert Church Theatre, we have to run everything in our gym, and we can only do one show,” she said.
“But this year, because of COVID, we didn’t know when we would be able to perform, so the kids have been kind of stop-and-go.”
She added the past school year has come with many ups and downs as the production saw the departure of two of its actors in the month prior to the big performance, along with illnesses and absences during the pandemic.
All in all, Hamilton said the production was a success on March 30, with an audience of approximately 180 attendees who were each served a meal prepared by the school’s culinary class and volunteers prior to the performance.
“I think the audience loved it. The kids were amazing, as always,” she said. “But there was something different this year, and I think it was just the electricity that finally people were out watching their kids and being able to see a live performance.”
Hamilton added a large number of the audience were members of the wider school community, not just the families of the performers. Former St. Martin de Porres alumni were also in attendance.
“We have our alumni come from past performances – it's not just a drama club, they call it a drama family,” she said. “It sounds cheesy, but they are a group of kids that have found where they belong and what makes them happy – and they get to do that together.”
