Greenville High School students present: “The Play That Goes Wrong”
Published 1:11 pm Tuesday, May 30, 2023
In “The Play That Goes Wrong” student actors portray an acting group producing a murder mystery. Pictured are (left to right) Reagan Mclain, Vivian Gates, Javon McGough, Taylor Benjamin, and Mars Pits.
Taylor “Kole” Hovis addresses the crowd during opening night of “The Play That Goes Wrong.”
Greenville High School student actors portray a group of actors presenting a murder mystery. Pictured are (left to right) Reagan Mclain, Bryan Ngyuen, Vivian Gates, Mars Pitts, and Taylor Benjamin.
Greenville High School salutatorian Taylor “Kole” Hovis looks forward to a bright future, big lights, red carpets, and teaching theater.
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By: Tiffany Albritton-Hickman
Students at Greenville High School (GHS) say the school’s theater department has been all but non-existent the last few years, but that didn’t stop some determined, driven and creative student actors from exceeding their own expectations.
A talented group of students, under the direction of Class of 2023 Salutatorian Taylor “Kole” Hovis, put on a presentation of, “The Play That Goes Wrong”in the school’s auditorium on May 24 and 25.
Family and friends came out to support, and they were not disappointed.
Greenville High principal Jamie Howard was in attendance and said, “We are both tired and excited as this year comes to a close. This has been a very busy week, but they (students) are worth it.”
GHS English teacher Naomi Pryor acted as a liaison for the legal aspects of the play in order to give the student-led production team the green light to produce the spring show. The students organized a bake sale to raise money to cover expenses, and exhausted all resources they could find from previous productions. Some costumes were provided by Nancy Idland from the Ritz closet, while others were ordered using the funds raised.
“The Play That Goes Wrong,” is set in Britain sometime in the 1920s, according to director Hovis. The story is based around an acting troup presenting a play which unfolds at Haversham Manor, the home of Charles Haversham, played by a charismatic Bryan Ngyuen.
According to Hovis, Haversham’s character is believed to have been poisoned, but is really still alive, and left presumed dead. The ongoing question throughout the play is, “Who killed Charles?”
The mystery soon turns comical, as everything that could go wrong, does go wrong, from technical difficulties, forgotten lines, and a crumbling stage.
Salutatorian Hovis credits her former teacher Lexi Wilson for re-introducing her to theater her sophomore year.
She says, “I love [acting] so much, and I’m inspired and dedicated to turn it into a career.”
When asked about the support of her family, Hovis says that she really appreciates her stepfather Chris Garner, who has been so selfless, and has encouraged her to explore hobbies, including theater and music.
Hovis plans to continue her academic and acting career at Troy University in the fall, focusing on a degree in theater. She says that she is interested in not only acting, but all aspects of production as well. Hovis hopes to become a theater teacher.
