Curtains close on Curtains

Three murders made up an enticing murder mystery in Aragon’s very own musical production of “Curtains,” which took place between Nov. 18-21.

Set in Boston in 1959, “Curtains” featured Lieutenant Frank Cioffi, played by senior Alex Phinney. After the star of “Robbin’ Hood of the Old West” is murdered on opening night, Cioffi must quarantine the cast, save the show, and solve the case before the show reopens, without getting killed himself.

Amongst the Aragon teachers, positive reception was very high. “I always love the musicals at Aragon. What I appreciated the most was how many people were able to be on stage at the same time since a stage normally only focuses on a few people at a time whereas in this production, the chorus and the characters were able to be on stage at the same time,” says English teacher Victoria Daniel.

English teacher Holly Dietz adds, “It just felt very professional because things went seamlessly and it didn’t have that high school feel. It was just true entertainment.”

Looking back on the cast’s performances, Drama Teacher and “Curtains” Director Shane Smuin says, “I was most impressed with how everyone improved each night without exception. By Sunday night, it was fantastic.”

Similarly, there were positive reviews among students. Sophomore Katie Barnes states, “I thought it was really funny and fun to watch and it really kept you into it and curious the whole time. Some musicals drag on and have songs that don’t really fit, but this was different because everything just fit in with the story.”

Sophomore Jamie Lo adds, “The story line was really good and the murder aspect was really interesting. I really liked it because everyone in the play was very enthusiastic and energized while performing.”

Phinney says, “I’m most proud of the level of dedication the actors demonstrated, especially on the stage. If a fellow actor is out of character or doesn’t put in 100 percent effort to embody that character completely, then everyone else can slip out of character if it isn’t possible to believe in the other actors on stage. However, this whole cast really does care deeply about being sincere on stage, and that is what made the performances really special.”

Playing the role of Georgia Hendricks, senior Jessia Hoffman says, “It was a huge, huge show with a massive cast that had so much going on at once, so it was a challenge…but, because everyone gave it their all, I think we were able to put on a really good show.”

In turn, “Curtains”, with its success, was simply memorable for all who were part of the cast and for all those sitting in the audience. Now that the experience is over, Smuin, summing it up, reflects, “Like any good project, it’s not really the material you miss-it’s the people and the interactions, relationships, and bonding you miss the most. But like all good things, it must come to an end.”