April Fools: 8th Graders' Original Play from Scratch

When my 8th grade Drama class first aimed to create an original play, we knew nothing about it except that it had to involve three girls and four boys, and that it had to be ready by April 1st.  Its running time would have to be around 45 minutes.  Right up to dress rehearsal, I had doubts that we'd make it.  Having seen it played to an audience of family and friends in a preview on March 27, I now wonder at how it all fits, as if the whole thing were inspired. 

No one sat down to write April Fools; the play emerged from interactions during class.  Alison and Andrew K. improvised dialogue for a CEO’s interrogation of her daughter’s boyfriend in a coffee shop.  Davi and Stewart improvised the daughter’s attempts to get her dad’s help at a golf range.  Andrew W. “drove” the CEO’s limousine, improvising banter with Solomon at a drive-through.  As the daughter’s friend, Lily Grace found her motivation in three “takes” of a scene at a baseball game. 

After we’d laid the groundwork, the actors took a couple weeks to act their answers to the questions, “What goes wrong when all the other characters see the mother with the boyfriend at the coffee shop?” and “What do they do the next morning to try to make up for their mistakes?” 

The final piece of our story came from the first days of its creation. In January, Solomon had created “Rico,” a shady visitor to the campus who charmed the girl characters.  We abandoned that subplot, but it inspired the chauffeur’s undercover role, and “Rico” was reincarnated when Alison suggested how a shady character could help everyone to find success in the final scene.

I guided the process, but all of us created April Fools.  

cast (in order of appearance)

James, the chauffeur …………..……….ANDREW WAIBEL
Gwen Woodsen, CEO ………………..… ALISON HEBERT
Alex, Gwen’s daughter …………..………….... DAVI NEILD
Maddi, Alex’s friend …………....… LILY GRACE SHERAM
Dylan, Alex’s boyfriend….………………...  ANDREW KOO
Holt, Gwen’s Ex..…………………….  STEWART McCUNE
Everyone else ……………………...… SOLOMON LOMAX

Technical director, guest student Michael Johnson
Director, Mr. Smoot

Scenes i - iv take place on March 31; v & vi April 1. L.A. streets and a private high school, morning
ii. the country club driving range, later in the morning
iii. press box at the high school baseball game, afternoon
iv. a crowded coffee shop, after 9 p.m.
v. various locations in LA, 10:30 a.m.
vi. luxury hotel event room, LA  11:10 a.m.