Sigourney Students Perform “You Can’t Take It With You”

SIGOURNEY – Sigourney students performed the Pulitzer Prize winning ensemble comedy play “You Can't Take It with You” on Mar. 17, 18 and 19. The play, written in 1936, focuses on a large eccentric family as their only normal daughter introduces her banker fiance. The Sigourney performance was directed by Devin Dailey and starred Rain Barthelman as Essie Carmicheal, Cera Hahn as Penny Sycamore, Jack Clarahan as Tony Kirby, Zoe Webb as Alice Sycamore, Matt Brainard as Paul Sycamore, and Carter Wyatt as Martin Vanderhof. The play also featured Ella Bahlmann, Lana Thomas, Sadie Greiner, Ava Fineran, Amiya Smallwood, Chris McLennon, Hannah Williams, Brookelyn Hemsley, Reagan Clarahan and Reagan Power in various roles. Noah McLaughlin, Troy Klett, Landon Crow, Addy Yates, Ellie Yates and Ellie Ireland worked backstage.

“It came together really well in the last two weeks,” said Jack Clarahan in an interview before the play. “It’s always really nerve-racking, but you take the scripts out and everything starts coming together…Drama helps your life skills. You’re always going to have to talk to new people, if you’re ever going to get a job, or just to have a conversation.” This is Clarahan’s second play, after he “was forced to perform” in last year's play. He stated his favorite part of drama was getting to spend time with his friends, and that his favorite part of the play was acting against Zoe Webb

“This is my first year and I’m really glad that I did it because it helped me get out of my comfort zone and it's been fun,” said Rain Barthelman. “My favorite part is also being with friends and being able to be a sister to Zoe, because she’s one of my best friends. I also like my solo dancing scene.”

Leading lady Zoe Webb got her start in the drama department when she was in third grade, appearing in Peter Pan. Since then, she appeared as Tweedle-Dee in Alice in Wonderland as Aggie Wheeler in last year’s “The Game’s Afoot.” Webb stated her favorite part of the play was the dinner game scene, where the whole cast plays a word game that quickly turns dirty. “It’s just a lot of one-liners that are really funny,” said Webb. “I’m excited to perform it for everyone, because of all the work we’ve put in. When it comes to time, I always get really nervous, but once you get on stage your nerves kinda just fly away.”

“The whole play revolves around making fun of Zoe and the ways Zoe says her lines,” said Director Devin Dailey. So if you look closely on stage, you can kind of see people cracking up because we’re anticipating what people are going to say next.”

All three of the interviewed students stated their favorite character in the play was Donald, the handyman played by Ava Fineran.

Dailey chose this play because she didn’t want to do a musical this year. She stated that the most difficult part of the play was dealing with the fact that the play features a lot of physical comedy. Dailey praised her student directors, Reagan Power and Reagan Clarahan, for their vital help on the play.