Last Updated: Friday, March 7, 2008 11:55 AM CST
RHS thespians bring 1940’s England to life
by Michael Skubal - Daily News Staff
What do 1940’s England, murder mysteries, limping priests and the poison of the qualkenny bush have in common? Stay tuned.
Mike Eserkaln’s play “The Brothers Plank” had its Northwoods premiere last night at the Rhinelander High School auditorium. Eserkaln, from Green Bay, has written numerous plays and owns the Comedy City Improv and Venture Theater in De Pere.
“The Brothers Plank” is a production of the Rhinelander High School/Northwoods Charter Secondary School Drama Department. Drama Director Kristin Larsen and Assistant Director Nilla Sjoberg are finishing up their first full year of running the theater department at RHS/NCSS.
“We have laughed our way through many rehearsals because this play is filled with hysterical moments,” said Larsen. “We hope you find them as funny as we did. What can be funnier than two brothers who compete to solve pseudo-mysteries, a limping priest, a suicidal chauffeur and a maid who falls into a chimney because a wayward crow pecks at her feet.”
The play is set in 1940’s England, the set is terrific and the actors are veterans. Here’s the setup: Thelonius “Tipsy” Plank, played by Bob Pekol, and Reginald “Plank” Plank, played by Max Sjoberg, are adoptive sons of Lady Aberline Plank, a wacky woman who enjoys her murder mystery birthday parties. When she is evidently poisoned by the sap of the qualkenny bush, her sons travel to Brazil to track down her killer.
If Brittany Bonnell, as Lady Plank, steals any more scenes, she’ll be charged with theft. Joel McReynolds chews the scenery as the butler Snyvling. Jessica Parnofiello, an exchange student from Italy, has her accent down pat as the Italian Madame X. Sarah Brown plays the maid Betsy with the haughty attitude of every English maid. Lisa Coffen, as Chef Loude, is hung with care. Ben Bruso is appropriately erudite as Doctor VanHauten and Natasha Dombrowski adds vavoom as Gertrude.
The sets are great, the action taut and there are laughs galore. Support your local high school theater and give yourself a break.
“The Brothers Plank” has three more performances, Friday and Saturday, March 7 and 8, at 7:30 p.m. and a matinee at 1 p.m. Sunday.
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It pays to have good servants. Brittany Bonnell as Lady Aberline Plank expires as Betsy, Sarah Brown, and Snyvling, Joel McReynolds, look on.
Michael Skubal/Daily News
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Football team appreciates support of the community
Parents, grandparents, uncles, families and friends, local businesses and Hodag football supporters: Due to your generosity our locker room pledge drive was a great success. Our goal was to raise $8,000 to $10,000 to purchase 40 lockers for our varsity locker room. We crushed this goal and raised enough money to purchase 100 lockers and the ability to have every male athlete in a new locker. These new lockers will allow us to secure our valuable equipment. In addition and I believe more important is that it shows our kids we care and will make the locker room less stressful. This facility has needed this improvement for three decades and you made it happen. Personally, I can not thank you enough for giving us the opportunity make this improvement for our students. READ MORE >
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