Noise Noise Noise, (noun); A multi narrative play based off of the lives of 15+ people living in a run down apartment building in New Jersey, with a view of New York right outside their window, next to an abandoned building with a punk scene, in the late 1980’s.
Last May, I had left class to go to the performing arts center like usual since I honestly didn’t have anything better to do in my academic class due to finals. I sat on the stage with my good friend Parker Hughes and we started chatting about the upcoming school year and how we couldn’t believe we were finally going to be seniors. My teacher, Joni Smithwick, sat with us and listened and then chimed into the conversation saying something like “You guys are taking Advanced Drama next year, right?” we replied yes and she continued to explain how she would be doing two shows in that class: A show directed by her and a student-directed show. Parker and I jokingly spent the next few minutes fighting over who would direct until we both got that light bulb moment. Why don’t we both direct it? We begged Mrs. Smithwick the rest of the class period. She wouldn’t budge. She was set on choosing the directors when the school year started. And then the next light bulb above our heads went on and lit up bright. Why don’t we write it? …And cast it? …And handle tech for it? …And direct it? Joni laughed and agreed with the mindset that we wouldn’t actually go through with this crazy idea. She gave us perimeters, and we got to work.
Parker and I created the story within 3 class periods the next day, and when school let out we spent the next 3 months working on the script. I did help out with the dialogue and story and how it all flowed, but parker was amazing and put all of our ideas to paper. We face timed and texted and met up occasionally on Sundays to work on this piece together.
When school finally came back around we presented Mrs. Smithwick with the script and to be honest the look on her face when we gave it to her was priceless, she definitely didn’t expect us to have followed through with our idea but we did! The next 5 months we cast,”teched”, directed an hour and 20min long show. It was an incredible journey and experience for me personally. I have always been one to take leadership roles, but I have never handled anything like this before. To be honest, I spent a whole weekend researching how to be a good director because I hadn’t done anything like this. I learned so many new things from that leadership role that I think will help out other areas of my life.
After our show had been performed, Isabel Hughes from the Forsyth County News contacted Parker and I and asked us a few questions for the newspaper. Here is the link if you would like to read that article: http://www.forsythnews.com/section/3/article/32008/
Before wrapping up this article, I would just like to say that I am so proud of the cast and crew who helped bring these characters and this show to life. We could’t have done this without any of you! Your handwork from doing characterization exercises for 2 months to taking teeny tiny minor notes from Parker and I truly paid off. You all were incredible and I can’t thank you enough for just being you.
Now that our show has been performed, Parker and I are now working hard to get our show published. Look out for Noise Noise Noise!