Murder, mystery, and intrigue are coming to Atlantis this spring courtesy of the ACS Drama Club.
This May, students will take the stage in the club’s production of How to Host a Murder Mystery Dinner Party (in Fifteen Simple Steps). In the play, host Miss Penelope Chrysler-Michelin shares her best party tips, complete with a cast of suspicious characters. But things don’t go as planned when a mysterious stranger shows up on a dark and stormy night.
It will be the club’s third production since forming early last year. The club has quickly gained popularity among students. It started with 20 students and has now doubled to 40 members.
“There was a lot of interest among my students to start a drama club,” said Heather Lemos, who teaches theater classes for grades 7-12. “It has been a dream of mine to build a theater program, so when the opportunity arose to do it at Atlantis, I was all in.”
Scenes from the club’s first two productions: Snow White and Dorothy in Wonderland
Lemos selected Snow White for the club’s first production. There were no royalties, which helped to keep costs down and gave the club artistic freedom. Working together, students wrote their own version of the classic fairytale and performed it for the school community in May 2023. This past fall they performed Dorothy in Wonderland.
Productions are put on in the Student Center. The stage, set, even the chairs are moved in for each performance. Because of the work involved, they try to hold rehearsals and shows over the weekend so there is less heavy lifting.
Atlantis recently received a $10,000 grant from Bristol County Savings Bank to purchase basic theater necessities including speakers, microphones, and lighting equipment. Lemos also got an assistant to help keep things running smoothly backstage.
“I would like to see this program continue to grow,” Lemos said. “Many students are looking for schools that offer diverse opportunities in the arts. It’s our hope that Atlantis can meet this demand and provide a fulfilling experience for the young artists in our community.”
The ACS Drama club’s performances of How to Host a Murder Mystery Dinner Party (in Fifteen Simple Steps) will be May 16th to 19th. Tickets will be sold at the door. For more information contact Heather Lemos by email at heather.lemos@atlantiscs.org.