HNS play goes back to the 1930s

HARTINGTON — Hartington-Newcastle students have hit the stage for a slapstick production.

The students will bring Hollywood hilarity to the stage with their production of Epic Proportions, a fast-paced comedy set on a chaotic 1930s desert movie set.

The story follows brothers Benny and Phil, (Dane Gotch and Issac Santiago) who arrive as extras on a sprawling Biblical epic but quickly find themselves climbing the rank s— one becoming a director, the other a sudden leading man.

As the film spirals out of control under the distant, nearly invisible director D.W. DeWitt (Alyk Zach), the brothers clash over fame, responsibility, and their shared affection for Louise (Lainey Morten), the production assistant struggling to keep the project from falling apart. With mishaps, rebellions and over-the-top scenes erupting all around them, the characters discover that finding real purpose may mean walking away from their Hollywood dreams.

Filled with slapstick humor, quirky characters and rapid-fire action, Epic Proportions offers a fun, light-hearted night at the theater for audiences of all ages.

The cast and crew performed Sunday night for the general public and performed twice Tuesday for classmates.

The local troupe will hold its next performance Nov. 18 in the new HNS gym for the GNAC Conference One Act Play Festival.

HNS will perform again Nov. 22 at home for a triangular. The HNS cast and crew head to the District meet in Lyons Dec. 3. The State One Act competition will again be held at the Johnny Carson Theatre in Norfolk on Dec. 10-11.

Other cast members include: QUEEN/ESTELLE – Vayda Lippert OCTAVIUM/WALLY – Carter Kelly CONSPIRATOR #1/ROY – Jason Heimes CONSPIRATOR #2/CLARENCE – Gabe Reyes HOMERICUS – Scout Heimes JACK – Trevon Hopping SHEL – Austin Sudbeck COCHETTE – Trynity Zach COCHETTE’S ASSISTANT – Kaylee Kloster SHIELD MAIDEN COMMANDER/ROSE – Emily Climer CARL – Dylan Heikes

ENSEMBLE (GLADIATORS, SHIELD MAIDENS, ROMANS, STAGEHANDS, ETC.)

Abby Hart, Hazel Hochstein, Wendy Reyes, Justyce Sohl, Aidan Anderson, Karissa Bruning, Ali Ford, Sophia Johnson, Tansey Kneifl, Adeline Pinkelman, Ashlynn Pinkelman, Autumn Anderson, Wyatt Clark, Ella Eickhoff, Hayden Eickhoff, Kloe Fischer, Natalee Hart, Allison Huesers, Jaden Opfer, Ziva Stratman, Katelyn Uldrich, Cam Carl, Cody Edwards, Henry Folkers, Hadley Grutsch, Owen Hart, Nathan Heimes, Ty Hopping, Ella Kelly, Nora Lange, Olivia Olsen, Elena Reyes, Jocelyn Reyes, Gabe Sovereign CREW

Keatyn Arens, Mason Krause, Landon Clark, Maximus McCray, Kyptin Collier, Myrissa Lammers, Harper Folkers, Evan Hart, Caleb Heimes, Londynn Morten, Lauren Uldrich