Penn Hills High School theater students return to stage in fall play

Penn Hills theater students are focusing on bringing normalcy back to the department after their fall play was canceled last year due to covid.

The first step in that direction is performing their annual fall play after a successful return with their spring musical “Mary Poppins” in February.

Director Ben Blinn said students will be performing two one-act plays: “Check Please” and “Our Place.” Blinn chose the plays because they help students work on basic and fundamental acting.

“Check Please” follows a series of blind dates that become progressively worse as the night goes on. “Our Place” is set on a dock and follows various relationships (couple, family, father-daughter) and how they have a different relationship with the dock.

“They make a good mix of comedy and drama,” he said.

Blinn is excited to have a bigger cast after facing limitations due to covid last spring for the spring musical “Mary Poppins.” There are 26 students in the cast and 10 stage crew members. During the acts, students will be wearing clear masks. Rehearsals have been going well, he said.

“I am feeling good about everything, and I think we are headed to where we need to be,” he said.

Sarah Webb, a junior and stage crew manager, is excited to show the audience what crew members have built for the set.

“I am looking forward to people enjoying it and seeing how nice the set is, especially for a play,” Webb said.

Isabella Mitlo, a junior and also the student director, will be playing Pearl in “Check Please” and Beth in “Our Place.” Pearl is a kleptomaniac, a person who has an urge to steal. Her character steals stuff throughout the dates but eventually gets called out for it, she said. Beth takes her dad fishing to help rekindle memories with him because he has Alzheimer’s disease.

“I am really excited and hope we get a good turnout for it,” Mitlo said.

Jaden Sbuscio will be doing her first lead role in “Check Please.” The junior said she is eager to test her skills as she transitions from being a background character to being in the forefront.

“I have been waiting for this moment ever since I started acting,” she said.

The show will start at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 18 and 20 at the Penn Hills High School auditorium. Tickets are $8 for general admission and $5 for students and seniors.

For more information, visit phsd.k12.pa.us.