NORTH PLATTE, NE, September 5, 2024 — North Platte High School’s Theatre Department will present their fall production, Bleak Expectations September 26th and 27th at 7:00 p.m and September 29th at 2:00 p.m. at the NPHS Performing Arts Center.
Based off of the hit BBC4 radio play, this chaotic caper by Mark Evans follows Pip, his family, and his best friend Harry as they try to survive Victorian England and all the “joys” of a Charles Dickens novel. Imagine giving Great Expectations or Oliver Twist to Monty Python and asking them to retell the tale. That is this show in a nutshell. It’s a bit irreverent, slightly silly, and very funny. With a cast and crew of over 40 students, Director Brittany McDaniel and Assistant Director Nicole Cepel have spent the past two months teaching students how to sword fight with baguettes and faint in hoop skirts while learning how to use the new, state of the art lighting system that was installed in the high school’s theater this summer. “It is a big show with a large cast and lots of fun props. My shopping history includes a fake rat, feather boas, a fat suit, and a stuffed dog that loses its stuffing. I feel like I spend more time laughing than I do directing at rehearsal some nights.” laughs McDaniel. While North Platte might be bursting at the seams with activities in September, the slapstick humor, ridiculous antics, and over the top silliness of this production is not something you are going to want to miss.
While there is some PG-13 humor, all theatergoers will appreciate this ridiculous spin on a collection of timeless classics.
General Admission is $5 and the doors open at 6:30 p.m and 1:30 p.m. for the respective shows.
