GREAT FALLS — Helena native Sean Abley’s play, "The End of the World (With Prom to Follow)" takes the stage at the Bill Williamson Hall Auditorium at C.M. Russell High School this week.
The play, directed by Chris Evans, has been described as a cross between “Lord of the Flies” and “The Twilight Zone.”
The production imagines a world where all but the CMR student body suddenly vanishes.
The play examines mortality, friendship, and ethics with a bit of comedy thrown in.
The cast and crew has been rehearsing for the play since early March.
“The CMR students awake one morning to find everybody in town gone. They just vanished. Everyone besides the student body,” said Alexys Fisher, a CM Russell junior in the performance. “There is a wall of light circling the town, and they eventually figure out that the wall of light is moving inwards.”
“Survival itself is at stake because everyone's basically gone and there's this light around them on the city of Great Falls," said cast member and CM Russell sophomore Leighton Larsen.
“They don't know what's happening, but they're just trying to get through life, trying to make normal of what is their new life,” said Fisher.
Fisher’s character, Kendall is eventually elected as Vice President in the new organization. She describes her character as funny and witty, sometimes adding tension to the groups setting, but building momentum among the others.
“A lot of people look to her and respect her and she's very well known with the student body,” said Fisher.
Larsen plays Eddie, a school journalist who is documenting events for future generations.
“He's kind of taking the opportunity to broadcast everything just in case this isn't the end of the world,” said Larsen. “It's sort of a way to show their story for them, the people who eventually might find the recordings that are published online.”
As high school students themselves, the actors feel they had a built-in advantage.
“Normally we're supposed to bring ourselves to a character with just an idea of how we would act if we were that age,” said Fisher. “But now, we are this age where we just act how we think we would act in that situation.”
“You get to kind of bring your own sense of self into this,” said Larsen. “It's a high school student. So, you can be what a high school student means for you.”
Larsen says the CMR Drama Department holds itself to a high standard. Fisher agrees, and says that attitude is shared by all involved in the production.
“You ask anybody, even people who aren't on stage performing, they have a role in this show, and you just you look at everybody during the rehearsal and you're going to look at them after opening night, and they're just can have the biggest smiles on their faces," said Fisher. "It’s just an amazing expereince.”
“The End of the World (With Prom to Follow)" plays Thursday through Saturday night, April 25 through 27 at 7:30 p.m. at the Bill Williamson Hall Auditorium at CM Russell High School.
Tickets are $6 for senior citizens and students and $8 for adults.
All seats are general admission and reservations are not required.
