CRLS recently took on the classic Greek comedy Lysistrata at the Massachusetts High School Drama Festival. As one of the 112 schools performing one-act plays in this fiercely competitive program, CRLS not only made it past the preliminaries but also showcased exceptional talent in acting and technical design, winning various awards in both.
The competition has three levels—preliminary, semi-final, and state finals where only fourteen of the 112 competitors selected as State Finalists, and solely the top three claiming victory. Two schools from the State Finalists then move on to represent Massachusetts in the prestigious New England Drama Festival, the regional showcase of secondary school theater.
The success of CRLS in making it past the preliminaries is a result of several factors. First and foremost, the casting and acting prowess of the students involved played a major role in bringing the world of Ancient Greece to life on the stage. The cast, led by a commanding Lysistrata played by Maisy Branch ’24, drove the play with so much emotional force. Lysistrata’s devoted friend, Colonices, played by Julia Teller ’24, charmingly brought to life the humor of the play. The cast of Greek women, including Agustina Leon-Perdomo ’24, Anna Kotowicz ’25, Staydjina Bazile ’24, Maimouna Kane ’24 and more added a seductive edge to the show while Kinesias, portrayed by Semir Seid ’24, the Magistrate played by Kai Berelowitch ’25, and the Old Men and Chorus of Old Women added another great layer of comedy.
My favorite part of playing Lysistrata is that I admire her as a character in how determined and driven she is to seek out peace, achieve her goal and how she finds strength in the unity of women.” She’s very resilient and doesn’t back down or take no for an answer which I think is very admirable traits especially for a woman.”
Technical design also played a big role in CRLS’s journey beyond the preliminaries. The set, costumes, sound, and lighting design all contributed to creating an experience that transported the audience to the heart of Athens, especially through the use of costumes designed by Ava Weinstein ’25.
“The hardest part is the time frame. We have so little time to design the set,” Student Technical Director Lillian Micheal ’24 told the Register Forum. “A big thing that we consider when we design a set is, ‘can we put it together in 5 minutes’ and ‘can we fit it all in a truck.’” When outlining the set on the new stage for prelims, Micheal has only 90 minutes to program light cues, an extremely difficult and stressful task.
The decision to tackle the themes of the Peloponnesian War, womens’ rights, and peace through a modern lens demonstrated a dedication to exploring the relevant subject matter. Lysistrata employs a clever use of humor to address serious issues and will resonate with all.
As CRLS prepares for the State Finals, the excitement and anticipation among the students and teachers are huge. “My favorite part of the show has been seeing it grow,” one of the Stage Managers, Keira Ventola ’25 says. “I loved seeing all the actors lean into the jokes and their characters as we progressed in rehearsals and also seeing the set come together.”
