Senior Allie Crawford, who plays Emily Book in “The Sparrow,” rehearses a scene from the production after school in the Studio Theater. Crawford said people can expect to see a very unique story if they come watch “The Sparrow.”

The theatre and film division is putting finishing touches on its upcoming fall production, “The Sparrow.” The production will be performed four times at the Studio Theater on Nov. 15, 16 and 17 at 7 p.m., and on Nov. 17 at 2 p.m.

According to Delaney “Laney” McNamar, production director and senior, “The Sparrow” tells the story of a girl named Emily Book as she returns to her childhood home in a small farm town after several years; her return forces her and the community to unearth the tragedies of their past all the while Book struggles to conceal the superhuman powers she has.  

McNamar said cast members have been meeting after school for the past two months to work on blocking scene-by-scene, character analysis and script analysis. She also said she has choreographed and instructed dances in “The Sparrow” to the cast.

“One of the main challenges I faced (directing the show) was that most of the cast had never danced before or only had a little experience,” McNamar said.  “I had to create the dances to be easy enough that they could do it but also make it look unique and interesting. It was also hard working with so many different styles. In ‘The Sparrow,’ there is lyrical dance, hip hop and Broadway, so I really had to expose myself to so many genres of dance.”

Senior Allie Crawford, who plays the lead role of Book in “The Sparrow,” said the unique aspect about this production is the movement and dance elements. Specifically about movement, she said one of the most challenging aspects of this production is portraying flight while remaining on the ground, as Book has abilities such as flight and telekinesis.

Crawford said, “Audiences that come to see ‘The Sparrow’ can expect a complex and intriguing story of a seemingly average high school as they welcome one very unusual student. They will be entertained by all the magic and mystery that is part of it.”  By Adhi Ramkumar 

http://www1.ccs.k12.in.us/chs/performing-arts/theatre