Hillsboro to present interactive show
Staff writer
Hillsboro High School will present its spring play, “This Murder Was Staged,” at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
The murder mystery / comedy, written by Patrick Greene and Jason Pizzarello, opens at the climax of a play within a play, just as the killer is about to be revealed, before the director collapses on stage. The show then shifts into an interactive investigation, with the audience treated as suspects.
The format required students to prepare beyond memorized lines, director Leah Rose said.
“We’ve had other students in the cast try to create that interaction so that the students on stage can have things in their tool chest to be able to pull out as they engage,” she said.
Students also navigated an added challenge of playing characters who are themselves acting.
“That’s been one of the conversations we’ve had, understanding the differences between their primary character and then the character that their primary character plays,” Rose said.
The script leans into comedy while keeping the mystery moving through unanswered questions, Rose said.
Students contributed beyond acting, helping build and paint sets, design posters, and assist with lighting. Most logged several hours of work outside rehearsal.
“I want to give them a basic framework, but I also want to be collaborative with the students,” Rose said.
Community turnout remains key, she said, noting ticket sales have started faster than usual.
“I want them to feel like what they do matters and that people are invested in them,” she said.
Tickets cost $11 and available through the school website.
“I hope that they can appreciate these kids and the gifts and talents they have, the effort that they put into the things that they pursue,” Rose said.