Starting on Friday, Oct. 25, the Montezuma-Cortez Middle School theater students will perform the play “One Stoplight Town” by Tracy Wells. The opening performance will take place at 7 p.m. at the middle school.
The play will also be performed on Saturday, Oct. 26 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.
The play is about a small town and the people who live in it between 1990 and 2015, allowing the audience to experience the characters’ lives as they “grow and thrive” in their small town.
“This show is a lovely story about a small, close-knit town and the beauty of change,” said eighth grade set designer Elsa Hamerschlag. “I think that if you are from a small town or even from Cortez, this show will speak to you.”
Grace Marlatt, who plays the character Flash, said the group has worked hard to bring this show to life.
“This play is a funny, meaningful, romantic show that we worked very hard on,” Marlatt said. “So, sit back, relax and enjoy.”
The town in the play has one stoplight. Some people love the stoplight, and some hate it. According to CMS theater and teacher Angela Gabardi, the stoplight serves as a character in the story too, changing colors at key moments to reflect what is going on in the character’s life.
There about a dozen different stories in the course of the play.
“I feel like the overall message of the show is sometimes in life, you need to stop and take in everything,” said seventh grader Kinsley Decker, who serves on the prop team. “Sometimes, you need to slow down and simply get a glimpse of what is around you. Sometimes, you need to move on, toward something new. This is what the stoplight represents.”
Dramatic Publishing, who gave the school the rights to perform the play, said the play demonstrates that change will come, like it or not.
“The overall message of ‘One Stoplight Town’ is the journey that comes from learning to accept and adapt to changes throughout time and going through and beating whatever punches or bad things come your way,” said props team member Daniell Glazner, a sixth grader.
“I love this show because it gives you a good laugh and a deeper meaning of ‘small town life,’” said eighth grade assistant stage manager Macie McDonald.
One member of the cast, Mayra Rascon, who plays Runaway, reflected on her character’s growth.
“At first, the Runaway is skittish and scared,” Rascon said. “Over time, the Runaway gets more comfortable around the Prodigal Daughter and can relate to her. At the end of the play, she is confident and is running toward her dreams and not running away from her problems.”
The production of the play has been in the works since the start of school in August. Since then, the cast and crew have been working to bring the play to life at the end of October.
“I am proud of how quickly we have put the show together and how much love everyone has for their character and each other,” said Nora Schuenemeyer, who plays Polly.
“I am so proud of how everyone has worked because it has made this show even more amazing,” said props team member Emma Bruan. “I also am so proud of the progress that everyone has made because this show has been growing incredibly better from Day One.”
“Fifty creative minds and a stage. We make our own world,” stage manager Mattie Yoder said.
Tickets are $10 for general admission and $6 for non-CMS students and seniors aged 65 years old and older. Children 2 years old and younger, as well as CMS staff, CMS students and MCHS drama students may attend for free.
