portsmouth abbey news
Students Deliver Fast-Paced Farce with "Play on!"
The cast of the fictional play, Murder Most Foul, struggles through rehearsal. Photo credit: George Corrigan.
On May 15, the Portsmouth Abbey School Performing Arts Department staged its final production of the academic year, delighting audiences with a lively and comedic performance of "Play On!." Filled with nonstop laughter, fast-paced confusion and unforgettable performances, the spring production showcased the remarkable talent, dedication and teamwork of the student cast and crew. Written by Rick Abbot – the pseudonym of the late playwright Jack Sharkey – the play is a classic backstage comedy that humorously captures the chaos of putting on a theatrical production.
The story follows a struggling theater company attempting to stage a murder mystery titled "Murder Most Foul." However, rehearsals quickly spiral into disaster as the inexperienced playwright continuously rewrites the script during rehearsals, leaving the cast and director scrambling to keep up. The production unfolds in three acts: the first shows an early rehearsal plagued with confusion and forgotten lines, the second depicts an increasingly disastrous dress rehearsal, and the final act presents the opening-night performance where nearly everything imaginable goes wrong. The result is a whirlwind of comedic mishaps, perfectly timed interruptions and escalating backstage mayhem that kept the audience entertained from beginning to end.
Audience members were treated to an evening full of laughter as the student performers embraced the play’s energetic humor and exaggerated chaos. From missed cues to technical difficulties to forgotten lines and hilarious misunderstandings, the cast delivered each moment with confidence and strong comedic timing. Their performances reflected not only their talent on stage, but also the many hours of rehearsal and preparation that went into bringing the production to life.
Behind the scenes, the production was led by Jay Bragan, head of Performing Arts, and Isabella Canevari, technical stage director. In addition to the actors on stage, student crew members played an essential role in the success of the performance by managing lighting, sound, costumes, makeup, props and set design. Their creativity and hard work helped transform the stage into a convincing and delightfully chaotic theatrical world.
The Performing Arts Department extends its sincere thanks to the families, faculty, staff and community members who attended the performance and supported the students throughout the season. Congratulations to the entire cast and crew for ending the year with a successful and entertaining production of "Play On!."
The cast of Murder Most Foul receives feedback from the Director. Photo credit: George Corrigan.
L-R: The Assistant Stage Manager (Amadeo Leo '27), Play Director (Lorenzo Munda '27) and Stage Manager (Ainsley Moe '27) work through a technical kink with cues. Photo credit: George Corrigan.
L-R: The characters of Murder Most Foul (R-L: Thomas Canty '29, Maitea Abdullah-Doukkara '28 and Jack Smith '26) ponder the mysterious disappearance offstage within the play. Photo credit: George Corrigan.
The Director (Lorenzo Munda '27), Assistant Stage Manager (Amadeo Leo '27) and Stage Manager (Ainsley Moe '27) plan a prop cue. Photo credit: George Corrigan.
Characters from Murder Most Foul (Andrew He '27 and Callie Patten-Harding '28) admire an extravagant diamond necklace intrinsic to the play's plot. Photo credit: George Corrigan.
The Director (Lorenzo Munda '27) lines up his cast and crew for notes before their first dress rehearsal. Photo credit: George Corrigan.
The Director (Lorenzo Munda '27) loses his temper amidst a disastrous rehearsal. Photo credit: George Corrigan.
The cast of Murder Most Foul clumsily rehearses the climax of the play. Photo credit: George Corrigan.
The Director and cast members anxiously await the opening night of Murder Most Foul. Photo credit: George Corrigan.