With the announcement of MFS going all virtual through winter break, the cast, crew, and director of Anti-Social by Don Zolidis had to adapt quickly in order to figure out a way to deliver on the age-old promise of the stage: the show must go on!

WordsWorth interviewed Holli Kitching, the Middle School and Upper School Drama Director, on the changes that had to be made and the challenges she faced when directing this virtual play. 

WordsWorth: What are some changes that had to be to the play after being made virtual?

Holli Kitching:  We were always planning for a virtual performance, but once the Upper School moved to virtual learning earlier this month, we had to change our plans slightly. Originally, we were going to film everything in person, but we ended up having to film everything remotely on Zoom. 

WW: How is the whole thing going to work? What is the plan for the viewing of the play itself?

HK: The play has been pre-recorded and uploaded online. People who want to watch the play have to request a ticket through mfs.booktix.com. Those who request a ticket will be sent a password-protected video link that will be live from November 20-22. 

WW: What are some of the conflicts/ challenges now that the play is virtual? 

HK: The biggest challenge has been scheduling rehearsals during hybrid learning. Having half of the actors on campus and the other half off campus was tough when it came to figuring out what scenes we could work on. We had to utilize Zoom for those who were not on campus. Obviously you want everyone to be in person, but it wasn’t always possible. 

WW: What do you think students and faculty are going to enjoy about this play?

HK: It’s a very unique look at the way we use social media. Some scenes are comedic and some are more serious, but they all make you think! 

WordsWorth also talked to MFS Senior Bobby Lodge, one of the cast members, about his opinion of the play, as well as the ups and downs encountered while putting this play together.  Lodge provided us with a little insight on what it’s been like to be a cast member during times of the pandemic. 

WordsWorth: How difficult was it to be cast member in the play during a time like this?

Bobby Lodge: As for how difficult it was, I would say it is different online. At first just having a recording made it actually easier sometimes because there was less pressure of having a time constraint, and it was less pressure to get onto the stage at the right time with the right blocking. We had a little window where you wouldn’t be seen by the camera which allowed us to be ready on stage to pop into view during our scene.

WW: Do you think having to make the play available through Zoom made this process harder?

BL: With Zoom, I think it became a lot more difficult since you’re not seeing the actor, and there are less ways to interact with the space, which is a huge part of acting – interacting with the space you’re in. When your space is basically a 1×1 yard on Zoom it’s really hard to express what you want without moving around or gesturing too much so that it doesn’t actually look like you’re in a square. You also had to try to actually make it seem like you’re talking to another cast member when you’re not having that interaction.

It turns out it’s really hard to remember your lines when you’re on Zoom as well as project your voice on Zoom as well. You can’t be too loud or scream into the mic so that it doesn’t sound choppy and cause too much mic feedback. Another struggle was our facial expressions. Since facial expressions are a big part of acting, it was harder to express ourselves during rehearsals being on screen rather than having that in person interaction. 

WW: What do you think is something that people will enjoy while watching this play?

BL: I think it is definitely more personal having an experience where the actor is sort of facing you the whole time directly from a T.V. I think it’s also a new experience, which makes it different and sort of like an experiment. No one has ever done a Zoom play before so that might be a pretty enjoyable thing for the audience to experience alongside with us. I have to say the play is pretty funny, with a few scenes containing really good gags. Overall, it’s just a really fun play and I think the audience is going to have fun with that.