Kara Hawker (12): What is your favorite memory from the play?

“In one scene, Tina “wanted me to run three times back and forth grabbing different objects. The first time doing that Tina couldn’t stop laughing because it was funny watching me run back and forth. It’s my favorite memory because it was way different than what was originally going to happen in that scene. It was goofy and fun going through the scene. The scene got a lot of laughs from the audience.”

What was it like playing a Chicago gangster with an accent? Were there any challenges?

“At first it was kind of challenging to get the accent down. Obviously, it was way different. I remember doing it during auditions. Tina was like, ‘You have the attitude, just not the accent.’ She told me to listen to movies, and she gave me a bunch of inspirations. One of the most challenging parts was when two of us gangsters dressed up as the Vanderbilts and impersonated them to give a reference. I had to flip back and forth between the Upper Crust English accent and the gangster accent.”

Are there any similarities between you and your character? If so, what and why?

“Her temper is kind of like mine. She’s like a boss. She liked to run the show. Our inside joke was that my character had gotten the supposed leader of our little gang into the mob. She’s very sassy and sarcastic and holds her own.”

Justin Grawe (10): What is your favorite memory from the play?

“My favorite memory was the masked doll that Amber Cook and I put on the stairs on the set during the show. The doll was like a glass doll, and it had scary eyes. It was a joke with Dawn, the assistant director, because she hid the doll’s mask, and we found it and put it back on the doll.”

What was it like having to play a character that was deeply in love? Were there any challenges?

“It was easy with Amber because Amber was used to playing characters that were in love so she knew what to do, and I just kind of followed. A big challenge that we had was not laughing at each other while staring into each other’s eyes.”

Are there any similarities between you and your character? If so, what and why?

“I think we both have a good fashion sense. He was goofy. I just played myself.”

Olivia Neuzil (10): What is your favorite memory from the play?

“All the weird words people would say. It’s a secret code that only play kids know, and to be a part of the inside joke makes you feel included.”

What was it like having to play an elderly character? Were there any challenges?

“It was fun being able to be someone other than myself because most of the time people’s characters are identical to them so it doesn’t take a lot of work to be the character. For me, it was fun to step out of a normal role and to do something different. (It was challenging) when I realized that when people looked at me on stage, they were looking at a 60-year-old lady and not 16-year-old me.

Are there any similarities between you and your character? If so, what and why?

“I am like my character because we both are assertive. My character was a stingy old lady that always got what she wanted done and stood up for her views. We are also similar because she stands up for what she believes, and I stand up for what I believe in.”