Freshmen Leap into “The Devil’s Disciple”

Home Culture Freshmen Leap into “The Devil’s Disciple”

Auditions for the Hillsdale College theatre department’s first play of the semester were held on Aug. 28 and 29, and when the cast list was released, and a surprising number of freshmen appeared in leading roles.
The play, “The Devil’s Disciple” by George Bernard Shaw, will be showing Oct. 2-5.
According to the director of “The Devil’s Disciple,” Professor of Theatre and Speech James Brandon, freshmen who are interested in theatre “almost always audition” their first semester.
Some people wait until sophomore year to audition, but Brandon says he doesn’t recommend that kind of cautious behavior in prospective theatre majors.
Freshman Tyler Groenendal, cast as lead Major Swindon in “The Devil’s Disciple,” said he liked the “script, the concept and the era.”
Groenendal planned to participate in theatre before he arrived on campus.
In high school, he acted in 10 productions and directed two, including a one-act play his senior year.
“I just love theatre,” said freshman Katherine Tasma, who will play the lead role of Essie.
Tasma admits to being “more of a musical person” –– she played the Baker’s Wife in her high school’s production of “Into the Woods” –– but she said she looks forward to the fun challenge of conveying the emotions of a character who “cries all the time.”
Although freshman Anastasia Dennehy, cast as Titus’ wife, ran cross country and track in high school, she started taking acting classes her senior year, and played Quince in her high school’s production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” Dennehy said she plans to major in theatre.
Groenendal thinks he will probably try out for all the productions this year but plans to make theatre an extracurricular or possibly a minor.
Tasma is considering a double major in theatre and education.
The read-through provoked an enthusiastic response.
“It’s the first time the cast gets together as a whole group,” Tasma said. “You get to see people become their characters and you get to watch it grow throughout the rehearsal process.”
Groenendal described the production as a chance to grow and improve his acting abilities by observing more experienced actors.
Dennehy said that even though her role is small, the cast is excellent.
“The cast is amazing,” she said. “I still get to talk to them and have that really close connection.”
Hillsdale theatregoers will recognize junior Aaron Pomerantz as “Dick” Dudgeon, the Devil’s Disciple, seniors Peter Kistler and Kyra Moss as a Presbyterian minister and his wife, sophomores Catherine Coffey as Mrs. Dudgeon, and Matt Sauer as General Burgoyne.
Brandon promises “lots of Hillsdalian themes” including religion, government, history, romance, and melodrama, all in what he dubbed “a nice, entertaining evening.”
“Go audition because even if you get a small role, you still get the experience and you still get that really great group experience,” Dennehy said. “We become a whole little family.”