The UHS theater program presented their rendition of “Unclaimed” by Mandy Connor on November 19th. This one-act show is loosely based off of the infamous Hartford Circus Fire of 1944. It delves into the events leading up to the tragedy and explores themes of hope during dark times among a group of circus performers.
Since the show was based on a true story, the cast had to reenact what actually happened and manage to fit it within the span of a single act. A struggle the cast faced during the rehearsal process was preparing as actors for roles that felt foreign to them. “Clowns are very extra and you have to express all of these emotions without speaking so that really throws you outside your comfort zone. I feel pretty good about performing Willy, he’s a very complicated man having all of those dark times and feelings. But as an actor; it is your job to feel that as well and bring the story justice, senior Raphael Reyes. The cast dedicated time to truly learn their characters as well as their lines. “Once I learned how to balance all of that, it became a sort of pleasure to perform,” said Reyes.
One of the major obstacles for the technical crew was being able to fit everything in a 6×9 foot space for their performance on November 22nd at the District 5 Thespian Festival. “Having to fit everything for the play in a 6×9 foot space doesnt help for the show, making the props super specific to the circus size,” said Adrian Sargent. Troupe 4848 was recognized for a variety of accolades at districts, and “Unclaimed” won the Superior One Act award. “I’m extremely happy with the way that the show turned out because everyone was able to get into character and bring the show to life,” said director Alexis Mendez.
