MVHS’s Drama department performed “Julius Caesar: Four New Adaptations,” a reimagining of the Shakespeare play “Julius Caesar,” in the Black Box on Nov. 1, 2024. The show featured four distinct acts with unique, modern twists on the story, including a debate, prom, heist and trial.
The original “Julius Caesar” follows the assassination of Caesar plotted by two of his senators, Brutus and Cassius. Cassius, who resents Caesar, manipulates his brother-in-law Brutus into helping him murder Caesar. He knows that Brutus is one of Caesar’s good friends, and that Brutus’s involvement will help him pass off the crime as being for the good of Rome. The play ultimately ends with all three individuals dead.
The first adaption featured a retelling with satirized political figures relating to the presidential election. The next adaptation turned the characters Caesar and Cassius into rivals for Prom King, followed by the third adaptation with a reimagined Brutus and Cassius as two conflicting groups of bank robbers. The play concluded with a fourth adaptation of a court scene depicting the aftermath of Caesar’s assassination.
The play was written and primarily directed by Advanced and Honors Drama students, and stage design was done by Beginning, Honors and Advanced Stagecraft students within a month. Despite believing that the play turned out well, junior Rowan Chang felt that the short time frame led to a rushed environment for the creation of the play, and resulted in students losing enthusiasm.
“It felt like we were just parts in a factory,” Chang said. “I feel like during class, none of us really wanted to keep making columns but we just had to keep churning them out.”
To encourage engagement, an interactive audience element was included in the play as viewers were encouraged to vote for Prom King during a 10-minute intermission by placing raffle tickets in separate boxes. Audience members who won the raffle were awarded a free MVHS Drama T-shirt or a free ticket to MVHS Drama’s next show, “Mean Girls,” which contributed to the overall excitement of the night. This excitement was reflected in the audience turnout, sophomore Beck Poltronetti, who played the judge in the show’s fourth act, was pleased that the show sold out.
“I think it went great,” Poltronetti said. “I didn’t flub any of my lines and any minor mistakes I made were easily overlooked and the audience probably thought they were intentional.”
