With the threat that COVID-19 presents to the 2020-2021 school year — especially in regards to theatre — a virtual play production is the only way Manheim Township Performing Arts (MTPA) can safely put on their fall play.

As of recently, Mrs. Kennedy, one of the new MTPA directors, announced that MTPA will be officially putting on a virtual production of the show “She Kills Monsters.”

The show is a dramatic comedy written to be performed on the digital platform Zoom telling the story of Agnes Evans trying to cope with her sister’s death. However, when she finds Tilly’s dungeons and dragons notebook, Agnes launches herself on an adventure to learn more about this imaginary world that was her sister’s sanctuary

Most of the aspects of the production process will have to be modified this year to fit the needs of a virtual production. Auditions, however, will still be held in-person in the high school auditorium. According to Kennedy, there will be enough space in the auditorium to socially distance. Students who are interested in auditioning will have to sign up for a specific time slot to avoid large crowds and exposure to the virus. When students are auditioning, they will need to take off their masks in order for Kennedy and Ms. Weaver, the new MTPA directors, to evaluate their facial expressions.

 New criteria during auditions this year include how well the actor is able to play a character on a screen as opposed to a stage. Since the play is being held on Zoom, actors will also be watched from a screen during their audition. Kennedy stated that since the play is on Zoom this year, they will introduce the actors into the concept of film acting, instead of just stage acting.

Rehearsals will also take place in person in Convocation Hall, according to Kennedy. Weaver and Kennedy want to stay in-person as much as possible so that the cast is able to create a sense of unity because “you act better when you know each other” said Kennedy.

Students will, however, have the option to join rehearsals through a Zoom call if they do not feel comfortable coming into the high school building. If MTPA rehearses the play as if it were to be put on in person, then they would risk having to cancel the production if Township goes into the red phase. However because the fall play is 100% online, if Township does go into the red phase then the show can still go on.

“If you have actors that need to be quarantined, that’s okay because they can still join via Zoom,” Kennedy said.

If the school is still in the green or yellow phases on opening night, the actors can come into the school to put on the production. Each actor would be stationed in a specific classroom, that way they can all join the Zoom without having to worry about feedback issues. This also avoids having to deal with WiFi issues that some of the actors might have at home. However if Township has to go into the red phase, then the actors will have to be stationed at their homes during the show.

This year the actors have the responsibility of taking care of their own costumes and props. There will still be costumes and lighting that are created and organized by different crews and students. Actors will be responsible for their own costume and lighting changes. The actors will have their costumes laid out around them during the production and as their scene is approaching, they will be required to change into the specific costume that is needed. Costumes will also be delivered to the actors’ houses if they have to perform from their home.

Kennedy stated that she watched a production of “She Kills Monsters” that was done in New Mexico, and seemed to be focused more on the lighting rather than creating a virtual background to add to the screens.

 “Some of the productions had virtual backgrounds, but they looked cheesy,” said Kennedy.

This year the lighting crew needs to be able to use lights that can be plugged into a normal wall socket, rather than the large circuit board since the production will be held in either classrooms or actors’ bedrooms, according to Kennedy. Preferably the lights could be plugged into an outlet that would be connected to a wall switch because then the actors could easily change their mood lighting by just simply flipping a switch.

A normal Zoom call would be problematic to hold this production on because then anyone who joins the link could say whatever they wanted as the play is being put on.

“We’re trying to avoid the audience member wanting to be on the stage too,” expressed Kennedy. To avoid this issue, MTPA will be using the webinar option on Zoom. By using this option, they are able to still have a stage manager behind the scenes. The stage manager will be able to turn on and off certain microphones and video screens throughout the production. Actors’ screen sizes can also be increased and decreased on the call if more of the cast is needed to be seen on screen. The stage manager will be behind the scenes running the technical aspect of the show, but they will not be seen by the audience.

Even though the production is being put on through Zoom, tickets will still be sold. Everyone who purchases tickets will then be sent a link to join the call on their respective performance nights.