30 Oct Curtain Rises Nov. 4 for Bi-Cultural Hebrew Academy Fall Play
This fall, the Bi-Cultural Hebrew Academy (BCHA) Players welcome Nick Tickle, Fairytale Detective, a mystery-noir play, to their stage.
The show, originally written by Steph DeFerie, blends equal parts character study and comedy with tropes from fairy tales and film noir. What sets this production apart is its use of the audience. Nick Tickle is a show not to be missed because it invites the audience to help shape the performance.
“Not only does the play require the audience to help the action move along, but some audience members will become part of the action on stage,” said Janice Chaikelson, the school’s theater director. To ensure the students are prepared for whatever might happen, Chaikelson has spent extra time with the actors, from grades five through 12, honing their improv skills to take on this new aspect of the show.
As for how BCHA landed on this particular play, much of that decision rested on Chaikelson’s shoulders.
“I read a lot of scripts before landing on this one for this year, and it’s never easy to choose shows because so many stars have to align. Is it the right number of roles? Will the audience be interested in seeing it? Will the students learn something from the process?” she said. “Nick Tickle checked all the boxes for our school.”
Chaikelson is also proud of the off-stage team working behind the scenes.
“As usual, we will have exceptional costumes, sets and props,” she said. “We are also hiring professional lighting and sound designers for this production, which will help us feature a bit of new theatrical magic.”
The show debuts at BCHA on Tuesday, Nov. 4, at 3 p.m., with additional performances on Thursday, Nov. 7, at 7 p.m., and Sunday, Nov. 9, at 3 p.m.
Tickets can be purchased by visiting this link: BuyTickets.at/BCHA