This year the Jefferson High School Thespians are kicking off their performance season with “The Complete History of Comedy (Abridged)” from the Reduced Shakespeare Company. This play is similar to “The Complete Works of Shakespeare and The Complete World of Sports that the thespians performed in 2019 and 2021 to great laughter. This year the play follows narrators Kael Hesford, Ashlyn Wood and Luke Modloch as they take the audience through – you guessed it – the history of comedy.
The history begins with the cavemen and takes the audience through the comedy of the Greeks, Shakespeare, Abbot and Costello and many more. It is guaranteed to leave you laughing in the aisle.
Wood, a Jefferson High senior who has performed for the last three years, said that “compared to the past plays this one is similar, but we have some new people – freshmen, sophomores and juniors – who are getting on stage for the first time, and it has allowed me to make a lot of new friends.” Mondloch, a junior who has performed for the past two years, said that it’s good to see some new members of the group step up and take on roles and that “our shows are great for everyone, and I think a lot of people will find this one funny. And what’s better than making people laugh?”
Junior Jack Johnson said he looks forward to sharing some pie with the audience and making the audience laugh, which he’s sure they will. Although this year’s show is similar to those previously performed, Johnson said it has a unique component that makes it even more fun to perform in and to watch.
Addy Leary, a junior, shared her co-stars’ perspective on the play.
“Everyone who wants to fall out of their seat with laughter should come because that’s exactly what the show is going to do,” she said. “Whether you have a sense of humor or not, we’re up for the challenge.”
If you want to come see this group of young performers, they are looking forward to putting on a show. The performances will take place at Jefferson High School Theater on Thursday, Nov. 17, Friday, Nov. 18 and Saturday, Nov. 19 at 7:30 p.m. Because of the volume of football players in the play, if the boys make it to the state championship, the play will be moved after Thanksgiving: Thursday, Dec. 1, Friday, Dec. 2 and Saturday, Dec. 3. Stay tuned!
