CCMS spring play now available to view online

By James Grob, jgrob@charlescitypress.com

Parents, students and drama enthusiasts can now take a look at Charles City Middle School’s unusual 2021 spring drama production online.

Due to the COVID-19 situation, the production this year is not on stage at all — it is on screen. The play was completely recorded, produced and designed by students.

The actors recorded each scene separately in front of a green screen, and a group of students designed digital backdrops, which were plopped into the recording during editing.

The finished full video is available to watch on the Charles City School District website or on the school district’s YouTube channel.

Marie Conklin, CCMS drama director, had a normal show all planned out, just like she does every year. Because of COVID-19 precautions, however, auditions were postponed, then postponed again. Conklin soon learned that if they were going to have a show, the hurdles placed by COVID mitigation would make it almost impossible to perform the way a show is typically performed.

So Conklin ordered three green screens, and she and the students did a lot of research together to learn how to use them.

“The show is actually designed to be presented on ZOOM, but one of the things we’re working on at school is producing high-quality video,” Conklin said. “I decided to look into using the video equipment we had for that.”

The production is “Mirror, Mirror, On The Wall,” written by “fractured fairy tale” playwright Brian D. Taylor. The play is written specifically for rehearsing and performing remotely. The plot is a combination of familiar fairy tale stories placed together in one narrative, as ambitious “magic mirrors” pull everything together. Characters include Cinderella, Snow White, Rapunzel and many others from children’s storybooks.

Conklin said the entire process has been a positive experience for everyone involved.

“It’s fun, because we’re all learning together,” Conklin said. “Sometimes the kids know a heck of a lot more than I do.”