With February starting, Soddy Daisy High School’s Theater II class will be performing their biggest production of the year, Soddy Night Live. The class takes skits from SNL and recreates them using student actors. Students in the class can either choose to be actors or part of the technology team. Actors balance between adjusting the skits to accommodate the show’s needs and staying true to the original skits. The tech team works to ensure the technical parts of the show– like the lights, stage sets, and microphones– all run smoothly. This year, the directors are Amelia Montgomery and Nate Holloway, and they oversee all aspects of the show, from acting to tech.
SNL has been a continued tradition at SDHS for the past few decades, and the impact it’s had on students and the community has been profound. Jake Taylor, an SDHS alumnus, was part of SNL and the Forensics team several years ago when Lucy Boydston was the teacher. Today, he is a news producer, and he uses his SNL skills on the daily, from learning how to organize his show’s rundown to writing scripts, and “learning to adapt on the fly when something inevitably goes wrong during the show.” He also believes that SNL served as a great foundation for him and his co-director, Laura Maynard, who is now a star in the Chicago improv scene.
Hunter Thomas was also a part of SNL during his time at SDHS. Today, he is an actor in New York and has performed in numerous productions. While he does not remember specific skits, he remembers “…collaborating to figure out how to transfer the sketches from TV to the stage, and, of course, how to make them as funny… as they were when they aired!” He also remembers how Ms. Boydston always listened to ideas and feedback from her students, even if they weren’t always first-rate. He recognizes how she was aware of the importance of listening to others during a project. He notes that while “Yes, you’re trying to find the best ideas,… there’s a modem of respect that goes along with listening. That respect keeps a team functioning with less drama (ironically) and helps to ensure smooth sailing.”
SNL will take place on Friday, February 7th, and there will be a day show and a night show. Throughout the school day, there will be skits playing during the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 6th, and 7th periods. The night show will play at 7:00 P.M., and it will be a compilation of all the skits. Tickets will be $3 per period, and $3 for the night show. Both students and their families and friends are all encouraged to attend, as the proceeds go directly toward funding the theater program.
