Last Friday, September 13, Wildcat Theatre opened what looks like another incredible year of performances. As the first play of the year, Fools was a perfect introduction to the program. It displayed their ability to make a show entertaining- with the audience hanging on every word- as well as delivering an important message that gives peers something to hold on to.
Fools is the story of a young and eager teacher, who travels to a small town in Ukraine to tutor the daughter of a doctor. When he arrives, the town is not what he expected. Although the storyline is comedic, as the play progresses, it is clear that there is a deeper message involved.
The teacher’s name is Leon Tolchinsky, and he is played by senior Kellen Highfield. A convincing performance by Highfield, filled with the enthusiasm and intelligence of the character he plays. Highfield is starting off his final year with Wildcat Theatre strong, making his mark on the program.
As Leon Tolchinsky meets his student, it is clear the audience fell in love with the girl just as much as he did. Played by senior Catie Seal, Sophia Zubritzky is just as stupid as the rest of the town, but holds a certain curiosity and charm that many of the other citizens lack. Seal does a beautiful job of capturing the audience’s attention, as they wait to see what Sophia will do next.
It was made all the more easy to love Sophia because of the clear love of her parents, Doctor Zubritzky (played by senior Andrew Morataya) and Lenya Zubritzky (played by junior Lauren Pinkasavage). The Zubritzkys, while every bit as ignorant as their daughter, clearly believe in her and care for her to the point that they will do anything they must to ensure she is educated. Pinkasavage in particular does an incredible job of showing the strength and determination of a parent to improve the life of their child.
Overall, this production was an amazing way to start off the year, with a message to remind everyone that a true curse is simply believing that which someone tells you about yourself. You are only limited by your own curiosity. And we will certainly be curious to see what else the Wildcat Theatre has to offer this year.
