Panther Players perform “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” despite behind-the-scenes obstacles
The curtain went up on the Panther Players’ first performance of “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” on May 15. The six shows that followed were the accumulation of two months of hard work in which the cast and crew pulled together to overcome unanticipated obstacles to produce a successful spring play against all odds.
“Our director left after the show was cast and we had to have a whole new director, and that was a different experience,” Cassidy Hayes, senior and assistant stage manager, said. “We just kind of did it on our own. Dani (Kluss, senior,) and Brett (Coker, junior,) would organize outside rehearsals … and then when we got our new director it was totally different because we had to meet a new person with new ideas on the show. But she was really into what we thought of the show so there wasn’t a lot of conflict. It was a really smooth transition.”
This transitional period posed an unforeseen burden for the cast and crew, already working under a tight deadline. “We had no time. It was a major time crunch because of spring break,” Hayes said.
“(Losing our director) became a huge part of the show’s process,” Coker added. “It was a large stress sometimes for the cast. It was interesting having to halt some aspects of the rehearsal process for a week or two while figuring out the new director and then starting in with a stranger.”
The cast focused much of their time and energy on character development and building chemistry on and off stage. The show itself deals with powerful and sensitive themes such as alcoholism, adultery, and terminal cancer.
“This show is a very bold choice for a high school. It definitely rattled everyone involved emotionally, but not necessarily in a negative way. Just it’s a very passionate show and it involves a lot of the more intense and hardcore facets of being a human being,” Coker said. “So that takes a lot, and maybe that’s not for everyone.”
Coker played the role of Brick, the alcoholic favorite son of a wealthy plantation owner whose cancer has left him only months to live.
“This role is one of my favorites I’ve ever done and its an extremely large undertaking. But it was something that I just found a lot of passion in as an artist and as an actor,” Coker said.
Although the production was not as lighthearted as the student body is accustomed to, audiences were still impressed with the final result.
“Honestly, the storyline was probably not what people wanted. People aren’t really into dramas at this school, but as far as the acting and performances went, I heard really good review from everyone,” Hayes said. “It was a success because we persevered. After all … we’ve been through it came out well. It came out really well. Even though we didn’t get huge audiences, it was a good show.”
