By Jacqui Meuser ’16

This year’s first (and probably last) tangible sign that winter does still exist—a two-hour delay—appropriately commenced the first night of the Winter Workshop.

Beginning at 7pm on Wednesday, February 10, and ending on Sunday, February 14, the 13th Annual Winter Acting Workshop held approximately eight sketches per night, with a whopping 44 student actors and actresses in total. Held in the Buckingham Performing Arts Center, the Workshop attracted participation from students who range from the leading actress in a major school play to the jock who never in his life imagined himself reciting a script in front of a live audience. Whether a skit was a reenactment of a classic Saturday Night Live sketch or an original sketch composed by a creative and courageous student, each sketch accomplished something interesting and unique, while never failing to keep the spectators on the edge of their seats.

 

Jason Sherry ‘91, the director, has worked every year of the Workshop’s thirteen years. Over the years, this staple of Sem’s Performing Arts program has taken place in the fall, the winter, and the spring. Whatever the season, Mr. Sherry has diligently worked to place each actor in the role that suits him best, honed each actor’s ability to alter his persona, and encouraged and drilled each actor until he feels comfortable enough to perform in front of a crowd.

 

When the idea of a “Fall Acting Workshop” came into fruition in 2002, it was intended to occur every two years. But, Mr. Sherry explained, after the first one was such a success, it became clear that it was a great way for students to expand their horizons and get involved in drama.

 

According to Alex Grosek ‘16, an actor in the Workshop for the past three years, the Workshops would have a hard time succeeding if not for Mr. Sherry. “Mr. Sherry puts an incredible amount of time and effort into directing his shows,” Grosek said. “He’s able to take in people from all skill levels and turn them into real actors in a surprisingly short amount of time. The whole process is really fun, and although it’s serious, it never seems like real work for anyone involved in the show.”  

 

This year’s Workshop consisted of many great acts from all sides of the genre spectrum. Whether a sketch was intended to be funny or serious, it was up to the actors to make it as great as possible, and many of the actors accomplished just that with effortless poise.

 

In one scene, Erica Fletcher ‘17 and Derek Jolley ‘17 played an ex-couple having a conversation in a baby’s room. The scene was an extremely serious one, but they still managed to make it an incredible performance. “There was a good amount of humor and entertainment value, but I really enjoyed both actors’ performances,” Scott Green said. “They were able to portray the depth of both characters accurately in such a small amount of time on stage.”

 

On the other hand, there were also many hilarious sketches that were the topic of conversation for a few days following. One sketch, in particular, stuck in the minds of everyone who watched. Max Liebetrau ‘18, Jorge Carrion ‘16, and others resurrected and absolutely mastered the classic Saturday Night Live “More Cowbell” sketch. Although only about half of the audience recognized the sketch from SNL, the viewers who were watching it as new enjoyed it just the same. According to Gabby Grossman ‘16, an actress in this year’s Winter Workshop, “Max was absolutely hysterical. It was like watching a young Will Ferrell on SNL. ‘More Cowbell’ was definitely one of my favorites.”

 

In short, whether you’re a fan of the funny or the serious, this year’s Winter Workshop aimed to please, and it certainly succeeded!