Theatre hits the ground sprinting

Story and Photo by Nicholas Norris |

The director of Roosevelt Theatre Company, Chad Thompson, is starting his varsity side of the theatre class with some short scenes from “The Shadow Box,” a play composed of cancer patients being visited by their past and current relations, many of  whom have different ways of taking in these forthcoming moments in their lives.

“This will be a good measure of our horizons,” Thompson said.

Miranda Cisneros and Kathryn Douglas rehearse Shadow Box scenes with Mr. Thompson during class. Photo by Nick Norris.

Thompson is working diligently with the varsity members on getting the blocking (movements) and lines down according to what the characters want and yearn for, not only breaking down the perspective of the said character but allowing them as actors to produce motivation behind the character’s actions. He allows only minimal staging use and as little of props as possible to evaluate how they interpret the scenes.

Next on their plate is “Tom Jones,” which will open Oct. 26 in the auditorium.