ManufactuRed Housing - The Taft School

Seniors Maggie Hutton and Shanika Audige play spinster sisters in the winter production of Arsenic and Old Lace, along with CharlieFraker as their nephew “Teddy Roosevelt.” Peter Frew ’75Jury-rigged JigThe Jigger Shop set up temporaryquarters in February in a corner ofthe dining hall while the studentunion and snack bar in the Artsand Humanities Wing underwentmuch-needed renovations. Sandyand Marty, above, expect the Jig tobe back in operation in its regularquarters by the start of summerschool. Peter Frew ’75The Weird SistersTaking full advantage of a wonderfulcast of veteran actors, drama teacherHelena Fifer directed and produced athree-night run of the classic comedyArsenic and Old Lace over FebruaryParents’ Weekend. The play, writtenin 1939 by Joseph Kesselring, takesplace in a boarding house run byMartha and Abby Brewster (ShanikaAudige ’08 and Maggie Hutton ’08).In addition to looking after theirnephew Teddy (Charlie Fraker ’08),who believes himself to be TheodoreRoosevelt, they provide a final restingplace for their lonely boarders. Whenthe true nature of their hospitality isuncovered by their nephew Mortimer(Max Jacobs ’08), he becomes embroiledin an effort to protect hisaunties and his fiancée, Elaine Harper(Madeline Bloch ’08). When hisbrother Jonathan (Brendan Maaghul’08), a serial killer disguised as BorisKarloff, returns to the house to hidefrom the law, the conflict driving thisdark comedy is fully exposed.From an elaborately designed setthat evokes a boarding house frozenin late-Victorian Brooklyn to a wildlypopular ensemble cast, includingthe scraggly Mr. Gibbs (MatthewAle ’08) and the aspiring playwrightOfficer Brophy (Samuel Fifer ’11),the production received numerousaccolades from parents, students andfaculty. Ms. Fifer enjoyed the challengesof putting on the production,noting the comedy’s darkness as asignificant departure from the farcicalcomedies put on in years past.The actors also enjoyed thechange. Maggie described her roleas “really fun” and noted that “theentire cast really seemed to fit intotheir parts.” Charlie Fraker added,“I couldn’t have asked for a bettergroup of kids to work with for myfinal Taft production.” Brendan explainedthat the production gavehim his first experience in playing amajor role onstage, noting that “youcould see the results of the hard workyou put in when people come to theshow and enjoy themselves.”10 Taft Bulletin Spring 2008