It’s daunting enough to put on a full show for hundreds of people. But when you factor in that the show is not only about a major saint, but also the patron saint of the diocese? No pressure.
Here at Ireton, we are blessed to have a state-of-the-art theater program and audience members who love to see us put on show after show. So, learning that we were doing “A Man for All Seasons,” our community burst with excitement. The characters in the show were real people who actually breathed, spoke and died. We didn’t know what to expect. But we were ready.
Working on accents is one of the most important aspects of the show. The play, for those unfamiliar, is set in England. If we can’t fully immerse the audience in the story, we’ve failed at our job. Whether it’s dialect coaches visiting our school or videos of the British royal family constantly playing somewhere in the background, the students in the Ireton theater department are hard at work. We also did a great deal of research into the lives of these characters. Paying homage to these historical figures is as important as crafting our own interpretations of them. In this production, I’m playing Thomas Cromwell. I’ve learned so much about his struggles and obstacles, which allows me to not merely view him as an over-generalized villain.
When asked about how attending a Catholic school has helped her prepare for the show,
Erin Allen (’27), who plays St. Thomas More’s daughter Margaret, said, “‘A Man for All Seasons’ teaches us the importance of following your conscience, sticking to God’s morals and sharing your faith with others. I’ve been lucky to attend a Catholic school since preschool, so I’ve been taught these lessons for almost my entire life. Because of this, I feel that I can really comprehend all the characters in this show — especially my own. This cast’s genuine understanding of the faith will really help us give the best performances possible.” This is a shared sentiment among members of the theater department. We are proud to be supported by a school that encourages and helps us grow in our faith.
While we all know that performing this play will be no easy feat, the students are thrilled to have this opportunity.
Find out more
“A Man for All Seasons” opens Nov. 15 at 7 p.m. in Garwood Whaley Auditorium at Bishop Ireton High School in Alexandria. Additional performances are Nov. 16, 22 and 23 at 7 p.m. and Nov. 17 at 2 p.m. For tickets, go to bishopireton.org/tickets.
