This year holds many exciting new changes in the LuHi theater department, one of the biggest being the student led senior showcase: Frankenstein. This is the first LuHi play that will be entirely produced and performed by LuHi seniors, making it an innovative and inspiring way to showcase the talents of senior thespians.
“The reason why I wanted to do it, and why I thought it was necessary to start something like that, is because, I mean, everyone knows LuHi theater, and all the shows we put on and the amount of work everyone puts in and how much they dedicate themselves in the learning and perfecting their craft.” Vaughn Aarhaus, the creative head of the show, explains. “I thought that it only made sense to do a senior showcase to kind of have that ‘this is everything we’ve learned’ and ‘this is everything we’ve put our heart and soul into for the past four years.’ And it’s something that should be shown to the world. Because it is that amazing. These actors and these techies are so phenomenal at what they do, and they deserve to receive as much credit for the talents that God gave them.”
“I joined in because he asked.” Lauren Larson, the writer behind the adapted Frankenstein script, adds. “I was like…‘This sounds so cool,’ was really my first thought. I tried to do plays like this before, at other places, and it’s not always gone as smoothly as it has with us. It’s been a really awesome experience.”
The showcase has been in the works for quite a while, with students meeting to rehearse whenever they can. “Progressively, it hasn’t been like the musical.” Lauren describes. “It was a lot slower of a start, because it is working with already really busy students. So it’s been slow coming together, but I feel like that’s purposeful because the students involved are incredible, and they know what they’re doing.”
“It feels like a lot and nothing at the same time.” Vaughn admits. “These people know what they’re doing, and there’s a reason why they thought that they have the ability to want to go into this show and do that. It’s because all of us feel like we have the knowledge and the passion in order to put on something like this, and that’s what we’re going to do.”
The showcase isn’t like traditional LuHi shows, but, in a way, it isn’t meant to be. “He’s more of a creative leader.” Lauren says, describing Vaughn. “In that he originated the idea and he tends to be a great motivator and organizer, but he’s not, and no one is, a ‘director.’”
“I just have the main focus idea of where we want to go with this.” Vaughn agrees. “I gave people the kind of means, like: ‘This is the general idea we want to put on.’ And everyone does their part, and we have a fantastic show.”
The choice to adapt Frankenstein into a play for the senior showcase was intentional and multilayered, and has led to a lot of inspiration for the seniors involved. “When it comes down to the story of Frankenstein, there’s those stereotypes of what Frankenstein is, who Frankenstein is, cause it’s not the monster he’s created.” Vaughn explains. “And I also think that Mary Shelley’s work in that book is amazing. The symbolism and the character choices in it are something that I think people don’t get to see very often anymore. These characters are just so complex and wonderful and terrible and awful in the best of ways.”
“I think Frankenstein is a deep, nuanced, and difficult show.” Lauren continues. “It’s a very, very incredible story. I love Mary Shelley. And I think it really does represent the kind of actors that LuHi theater produces in that they can do something silly and light like Hello Dolly, but they also are capable of such incredible depth, such incredible emotion.”
“In the Christian sense, it’s also talking about what a good God is.” Vaughn furthers. “Because Victor trying to play God for this creature, and decide what he does with life, is the exact opposite of what a good father should be.”
“And also, it’s something that a lot of people at Lutheran are familiar with, or will eventually become familiar with through A.P. Literature.” Lauren adds on. “It also feels fitting that the book you read as a senior becomes the play you end with as a senior.”
As seniors this year, both Lauren and Vaughn have found family, culture, and passion through their years at LuHi and in theater. “Jesus told stories to get a point across.” Vaughn considers. “It’s part of the reason why all of us know a lot of his parables, it’s because they carry so much meaning to each person due to the depth and the kind of emotions they can portray in each of those stories. And I think that when it comes down to that, LuHi is not afraid to tell those kinds of stories, that cause you to think and learn and grow. And I mean, if Jesus told stories for a reason, I think we can too.”
“I think my favorite part of theater in general, and this is actually something I’ve had to grow into, is people.” Lauren reflects. “And more so, just connections and relationships. When I started theater as a freshman here, it was more out of a place of wanting attention and wanting a spotlight, but as time has gone on and as I’ve progressed and done more theater and actually gotten involved with LuHi, I realized that I deeply value the relationships and connections that theater creates. There’s nothing quite like a cast that just connects with each other. That’s what I hope that Frankenstein allows to happen… That Frankenstein can deepen the connections that are already there in a new way.”
As it draws closer to showtime, it becomes clearer and clearer that the senior showcase will be a play unlike any other, filled with the unbridled passion and creativity of LuHi’s senior thespians. So come out and discover what exactly these dedicated actors and techies have been working on at LuHi’s senior showcase, Frankenstein, on May 10th and 11th, right here in the performing arts room!
