The Boardwalk, The Sea, and good’ ol Coney Island– The Game of Tiaras weaves all these around sentiments and many more.
Set to premiere in the Dewey auditorium to the school community and visiting attendees with showings on April 10 (3 p.m.), April 11 (6 p.m.), and April 12 (2 p.m.) as presented by the Theatre Club, Game of Tiaras seeks to showcase the Performing Arts here at JDHS.
It’s the first production held in Dewey since the construction of the school auditorium during COVID-19 school closures. The show will yield interest in a royal spectacle built on the foundation of student and faculty collaboration.
The theatre crew performed as expected, but what are they doing to prep? After all, it’s one thing to say you’re performing in the show—it’s another to make it happen. Let’s step backstage and explore the untold story behind Game of Tiaras.
From Thursday, April 10 to Saturday, April 12, the Theatre Club hosted their first play in John Dewey’s brand new auditorium.
Game of Tiaras, as led by JDHS Theatre Teacher and Professional Actress Ms. Wegman, displays a tale paralleling a Shakespearean play with modern themes, adding her spin of “funny, fun and something that Dewey students might enjoy, I didn’t want to do anything too dramatic or too ‘theatry’ . . . We got this inspiration to create our own scenes, even the very beginning of the play is a scene scratch that we made up, and that’s why it’s taking place on the Boardwalk”. She aims to bring this vision through spirited student acting, playful collaboration, and smooth coordination.
Tech-Theatre Crew students are talking amongst themselves to make sure the elements on the play sign look seamless. Highlighting the level of collaboration and coordination needed for even small play elements like this sign.
The cast composed of students from all grade levels here at Dewey, and they wish to “give their best and give part of that life that Game of Tiaras was and to be inside the character [signaling how she wants Dewey to feel the character for who they are]” said freshman Rajna Hoxha (playing Blad Pickett Guy, Herald and Audience Member in Crowd).
As early as October of this school year, Ms. Wegman opened casting for the play. Now, they are executing their duties- rehearsing line after line and having their fair share of “collaboration issues, missing cues/rehearsals, and even sometimes missing stuff—including me, the scene when I was stabbing the Stoner, I forgot to take off my knife from my paloon”. said senior Hamdan Yafie (playing Smeagle and King’s Jester).
Olaf is defeated in a fight scene during the play. The cast member behind him waves a red streamer to symbolize blood.
In addition to the acting cast, our light adjuster, camera directors, and costume crew ensure that their equipment and expertise are top-notch for whatever scenario they may face, allowing the actors to “keep track of where we are, keeping track of where we go, also the cues and constantly reminding us when we need to be on the way and ready to go [on stage]” said Hamdan.
Although new to the additions to the auditorium, their craft allowed the world of Tiaras to feel real, with many costumes being hand-stitched. Some students, along with our school faculty like Mr. Antonucci, learned entirely new skills just for this play—operating a soundboard, using stage lighting, or organizing scene transitions without missing a beat. These technical students and faculty may not have the spotlight, but their fingers are all over the stage.
The Fresh Prince, portrayed by senior Samuel Worrell reassures Belle, portrayed by junior Zixuan Li that he will keep her protected after saving her from soldiers.
“What I love about [theatre] is collaborating, meaning working together, and I love that it teaches social emotional learning for students,” said Ms. Wegman, “It teaches them how to have empathy. It teaches them how to walk in someone else’s shoes and also use their creativity.”
To the Dewey Theatre Club, the production of Game of Tiaras more than just a play for all of Dewey to enjoy; meant to display how “Theatre is a beautiful, really fun art form and . . . students have so much opportunity . . . and you know in our world we deal so much with social media all the time and it’s like, I would love people to get off the screens and come see more live theatre ” said Ms. Wegman. Game of Tiaras offers to bring back the charms of good ol’ theatre and public entertainment in general, as well as how much we take for granted.
King takes the stage, as portrayed by sophomore Marliatu Bah.
Regardless of how you see it—whether you’re into comedy, fantasy, or longing for that Coney Island rush—Game of Tiaras offers something sincere, comical, and original. It’s not just a show; it’s Dewey history in the making.
The cast taking a collective bow at the conclusion of the play, marking the start of a new era of performing arts at John Dewey High School.
