Spring Play

A classic tale of love, class and greed, set in the 1970's: Sense and Sensibility. Plainfield High School's theater department will be performing this Jane Austen play this spring. The play is about finding love, not only romantically, but also with family, as senior Madeline Yocum explained. In this, a husband passes away and his wife and three daughters are forced to move on and grow stronger in the process throughout.

New plays can get a lot of different feedback depending on the stance the person sees it as. "At first I was a little hesitant about the storyline because I didn't understand the characters and how interesting they are," said Yocum. "Now I am so excited about it because there are so many crazy plot points and funny moments."

In each person that has to play a role, a little bit of the character usually has to reside in them to make the act believable. For Yocum, she can relate to her role as Mrs. Jennings. "I am so excited because she is such a boisterous, crazy woman who is always gossiping; every single line I say is so fun and over the top," said Yocum.

Photo by Adam Jones

It is easy to wish for a different role, one that would be a better suited cast, but Yocum embraces her role, making the most fun with it as she can. "I wouldn't want to play anything else," stated Yocum.

The novel "Sense and Sensibility" was written by Jane Austen and has received a lot of positive reviews and feedback, making the play more enjoyable to watch, as it was well written. Austen brings in attributes to different feelings throughout. "Even if you don't know much about the story, it has something for everyone," said Yocum. "There is drama, comedy and romance all scattered throughout."

With every production, no matter what it is, it takes time, practice and dedication. This is especially true when students are involved in other productions as well, such as Yocum. "We are just starting to work on the show and it is a lot to have rehearsals going on, especially juggling that with show choir," she said.

There is a method to the madness though. Yocum has acquired the tactic of starting in small portions to memorise all of the lins and ques presented. "If I could change anything about the play I would add even more comedy; I love the dramatic elements, but the funny parts for the audience is what makes it fun for me as an actor," she said.

Story by Chloe Sumner