By: Ainsley Hall
HEDGESVILLE — The Hedgesville High School Theater Department is preparing to perform “Rise of Robin Hood” starting Oct. 17.
This retelling of how Robin Hood came to be follows the young orphan and his adventures and explores the story of his merry men.
When Cherisha Deen-Diallo, student director, got the opportunity to lead the production, she knew she wanted to choose a different kind of story. The past few years, the school’s October production has leaned more on the spooky side, but Deen-Diallo decided she wanted to take on the story of Robin Hood. The production had a bit of a rocky start when it first got started after they had to change to a new script after already casting roles. Now, the cast is almost ready to take the stage.
The cast includes many talented young actors, who worked hard to memorize lines and bring the story to life. That includes Robin Hendley, who will play Robin Hood; Jenna Sparkman, who will play Hazel, Robin’s twin; and Aaralyn Hahn, who will play Marian.
Through this play, guests will experience a new, fresh retelling of a classic.
“Through our production, people get to see the origin story of Robin Hood, which is something you don’t get to see very often,” Hendley said. “They get to learn what made him who he is and explore the depth of the villains throughout the story. It’s a lot of fun.”
As the director, Deen-Diallo plays a key role in helping bring the story together. She always knew she wanted to direct at some point, so finally being able to share her ideas with others and working together to build a unique and special show has made the experience extra special to her.
“Being able to write down my ideas on paper and see it come to life has been pretty incredible,” Deen-Diallo said. “My favorite part of theater has always been the community, so seeing how people play on my ideas and build on them has been really fulfilling to me.”
There are many other students who play important roles in putting the production together, such as Ashley Soselisa and Kianna Rogers, who worked together as the marketing team. Together, they designed the poster and other promotional material. They are excited to share the show with the rest of the community.
“Our actors and props team and everyone involved all do an amazing job making the story feel alive,” Soselisa said.
“Everyone really plays a key part in making the story our own,” Rogers added. “It will be a very entertaining and fun show.”
Showtimes for “Rise of Robin Hood” include 7 p.m. on Oct. 17-18, as well as 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Oct. 19.