A faint light illuminates the scene; the shivering breaths are the only things that can be heard. As he makes his way across the room, a faint cry for help escapes the mouth of a peasant, “Help, I’ve done nothing wrong! I’m innocent!” A vague knocking sound is heard, as the valet makes his way up to the door, and the voice becomes louder, almost reaching a shout. The peasant screams, “I confess,” and for a moment, everything becomes silent.

Rehearsals have officially begun for this year’s ISB high school play, Amadeus, a production about the legend himself, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Set in the 18th century Vienna, Austria, the story follows Amadeus Mozart and Antonio Salieri through their journey of their musical career. It is a truly inspirational play that really leaves the audience intrigued and on the edge of their seats.

At first glance, this play may not seem like the most interesting production, but as you get deeper into the true meaning of the production, it becomes clear why there is so much commotion and anticipation building for the final product and performance. “It’s a play that shows us what our darkest parts are: greed, envy, lust, wrath, all the seven deadly sins; and it’s important to us that we acknowledge these dark parts and try to become better people by avoiding these parts,” describes Thomas Jardine (9). It seems as if this play will contain messages, directed mostly at the audience, of when to take action in certain situations and when not to do anything. This is a lesson everyone can learn.

When asked if he wanted a specific role, Thomas replied, “I didn’t really have a particular role in mind, I just wanted to be part of the play. I was assigned the role that Mr. A thought best for me.” The role that Thomas was assigned for was one of the seven Veticellos, the eyes and ears for their master Salieri.

“It’s a play that shows us what our darkest parts are: greed, envy, lust, wrath… it’s important to us that we acknowledge these dark parts and try to become better people by avoiding these parts.”

Actor, Dan Borenstein (12), who was assigned the lead role as Mozart, is very excited to participate in yet another high school drama production at ISB. Many of the other actors are also ecstatic to be involved in such a school wide event, and the cast can’t wait to prove how talented they are, through the incredibly written play, Amadeus.

Overall, this play seems dramatic, eerie, and a lot of fun. The audience may have to be quick and thoughtful to fully appreciate the play, but even if you’ve never heard about the story, this is definitely one you do not want to miss. The cast is very excited to slowly piece the puzzles of the play together, improve upon their weaknesses and eventually produce a phenomenal showcase. The production day for Amadeus is November 5 of this year, and if you’re someone who loves to relax, be entertained, and ultimately have a good time, then the cast of Amadeus hopes to see you there!

Matthew P