The first performance of any production can be a nerve-wracking endeavor for the cast. Now imagine that that first showing is in front of an auditorium full of fidgety sixth, seventh and eighth grade students.
The gauntlet was cast for the players in Hoboken High School’s To Kill a Mockingbird Thursday morning. They had two hours to tell a complex tale of tolerance, growing up, and fatherly love to an age group notorious for their short attention span and raucous behavior.
But the cast equipped themselves well, and not only were the middle schoolers attentive, several times during the performance they broke out in respectful spontaneous applause.
This story is taken from Harper Lee’s Pulitzer prize-winning novel, told through the eyes of Miss Jean Louise “Scout” Finch as she watches her father, Atticus, attempt to defend a black man against false charges of raping a white woman.
It is actually the story of two fathers. Atticus, a single father of two and lawyer of exceptional integrity and quiet courage, is played with wonderful humanity and depth by Kristhian Santiago. The monstrous Bob Ewell, an abusive racist, accuses the admirable Tom Robinson of raping his daughter.
Playing Ewell was senior Noel Torres in his debut with the Hoboken Drama Club. His drunken, violent and irrational portrayal was a perfect foil to the kind, altruistic Atticus.
Santiago said after Thursday’s performance that at first he has a little trepidation over taking the part. “I knew it was such an important part, and at first I didn’t know if I was going to be able to pull it off,” said Santiago. “To say the least, I was a little overwhelmed. But during today’s show it was like I was looking through Atticus’ eyes and could feel what he was feeling. It was a really exciting experience.”
The play is also a rite-of-passage story of the precocious Scout, played by Wallace school third grader Natasha Rivera. Scout Finch has the capacity to see the truth amid all the obfuscating fears of adults, but does not yet have the tools to understand everything that she is seeing. And that is why the believability relationship between Scout and Atticus is the real crux of the play, and Rivera and Santiago pulled it off with convincing sensitivity.
And while the life at Hoboken High School might seem worlds away from 1935 Alabama, the students did not miss the mark. Jessica Lomassaro’s emotional portrayal of the conflicted Mayella Ewell brought loud applause from the audience. What was especially impressive is that she was about to convey sensitive topics of rape, abuse, and neglect to a middle school audience. Not only did she emote what the character was feeling, but she did so in a way which the spectators could understand and feel empathy.
Courtney White, who played Tom Robinson, a black man falsely accused of a crime, said Thursday that playing this type of character made him think about where he came from.
“Every day I feel closer to this character, what my ancestors went through, about prejudice and tolerance,” he said. “It really got me thinking about a lot of things. I loved playing this character.”
Also impressive was the performance of 15-year-old Pedro Jimenez as Boo Radley, an outsider so put off by society that he is content to live hidden in his home only to be the center of distasteful fodder and urban legend.
“This part was made for me,” said the towering Jimenez. “Just like Boo, I look intimidating until you get to know me. One of the major themes of the play is to look at who a person is, not just what they look like.” He added that the topics addressed, such as racism, tolerance, and bigotry, are still very relevant in today’s society.
Also performing in the play are John Aviles and Heck Tate, Princessa Bosch as Calpernia, Christian Castro as Jem Finch, Vincent Colon as Mr. Cunningham, Shakera Frazier as Helen Robinson, Cory Johnson as Reverend Sykes, Casey Schott as Dill, Jose Marte as Judge Taylor, John Martinez as Mr. Gilmer, Sheena Oliveras and Miss Maude, Nicole Passenti as Miss Stephanie, and Bridgette Valdivia as Mrs. Dubose.
Director Paula Ohaus is the Director of Theater Arts for the Hoboken School District. She has been a teacher and director for the past 12 years at both Hoboken High and the Hudson School.
In 1997, following a hiatus of 12 years, Ohaus and former principal Frank Spano resurrected Hoboken High School’s theater program. Later that spring, the students played to sold out audiences in a production of The Wiz. Since then, the high school has presented several successful productions including Fiddler on the Roof, Once on this Island, Dreamgirls, Annie, and West Side Story. Most recently, the high school produced On With the Show, an original musical play written by Jared Ramos.