Hermon One Act Wins Regional Class A Runner Up

By: Logan Brower

Hermon High School’s production of Shuddersome: Tales of Poe took away the title of “Class A Runner Up” at the regional one act festival at MDI high school. At the regional festival schools compete with a performance of a one act play which is required to be less than 40 minutes long. The idea of this is to be a completely student run production, with everything from stage hands to technical operation being all done by students.

Shuddersome: Tales of Poe, is a play written by Lindsay Price comprising several adaptations of famous stories from the writer Edgar Allen Poe. The one act cut of the show consists of “The Tell Tale Heart”, “The Raven”, and “The Masque of the Red Death”.

Christie Robinson, Hermon’s theater arts director recapped the process of choosing Shuddersome to perform. Ms.Robinson has several different websites she uses to find shows on and Shuddersome was “a show that kept popping up”. She was interested every time she would see the show pop up because “a lot of our students in theater arts specifically spoke of Edgar Allen Poe.” After seeing a performance of the full version of the show she knew that “this is perfect for our group”. Ms.Robinson went on to say, “It’s not every year that you get a group that’s into classic poetry like that so this was the perfect time.”

At the festival Hermon competed against MDI High School, Edward Little High School  and Belfast Area High School. Hermon was a very unique show within this group of schools. Belfast had a plethora of different costumes, MDI had several projector walls, and Edward Little had backlit canvas walls where they created shadows. Then there was Hermon, with a very minimal set, and simple tattered black costumes.

The simplicity of the piece is what paid off in the end for Hermon. Scoring 242 out of a possible 300 and receiving special judges commendations for an excellent ensemble as well as for the masks they used. On top of the special commendations received, 2 of the members of Hermon’s cast were selected as part of the All Festival Cast. This selection goes to only a few members from each show who the judges felt gave the best performances and deserve their own awards. James Jennings and Ellie Allmon both received these awards, James for his role as Young, and Ellie for her role as the Raven. James was very excited to receive this honor, “I appreciate it a lot.” However this award doesn’t make him feel like he is any better than the rest of his cast members, “I think everybody did a great job”.

Although they did score very well, MDI highschool scored 264 winning class A and leaving Hermon as the runner up. While Hermon getting runner up means that they won’t be able to attend the state festival, and that the season comes to an end, the cast and crew of this show doesn’t feel upset about how it ended. Everyone involved is very pleased with the results. “I feel like we won”, Ms.Robinson said when referring to her feelings about the results.

The future looks bright for Hermon’s One Act. Within the next few years it is expected that Hermon will only improve. Ms.Robinson also feels confident with the upcoming seasons, “I think as long as we keep this drive we’ll do very well.”

Hailey Bieber Pulls Multiple Scandals Sending Selena Gomez Fans Into The Ultimate Rage.

Kaylyn Lopes 11:19 AM 3/1/23

Recently Selena Gomez shared a relatable video of her on her Tiktok platform. Her story had said that she had laminated her eyebrows too much. No one expected the amount of drama that would follow.

Almost immediately after Selena’s post, Kylie Jenner who is known for her makeup brand and on point brows posted a story on Instagram of her freshly laminated brows with a caption partially covering them that said, “This was an accident.”

Was it?

You would think that would be enough for the drama filled star. Nope! Shortly after Kylie’s post she and Hailey Bieber were on Facetime Plotting their next scandal.

Who’s going to tell them that Mean Girls came out 19 years ago and it’s not a trend anymore? 

During the Facetime chat between the two they both positioned just their eyebrows in the frame. Then posting the screenshot on instagram, Kylie had tagged Hailey. But the drama didn’t stop there. The next day, Tiktok and Instagram users shot up in a verbally violent uproar defending Selena.

As they should.

Comments like “But you gotta keep an eye out for Selener,” a Nicki Minaj lyric, were being spammed under Hailey’s posts. Both Jenner and Bieber lost millions of followers. Some people are even accusing Kylie Jenner of buying followers because of the massive decrease and increase.

Tiktokers started using sounds mocking the way Hailey Bieber obsesses over Selena. Selena made a cooking show in her house explaining to her fans that this is really where she lives. Hailey did the same. “Yes guys I really live here, this is my real kitchen where I live” (H, Bieber 2023)

It doesn’t stop there. Hailey was seen posing with an article of Justin and Selena a few years ago, saying “I’m just in love with their love. I’ll be alone forever.”

Hmmmmm that aged weirdly? Hailey was recorded practicing saying “okey dokey” in Selena’s tone so she could use the phrase on her cooking show. After the first time of her saying it, she put her hand over the cam and says “Cut that clip out.”

But what takes the cake is when Kendall Jenner joins the drama. These Jenner’s are as bad as keeping drama to themselves as they are boyfriends. What kick started the Hailey and Justin relationship was when Selena and Justin were together. Shocker.

Kendall and her friends invited Selena to an all girls trip in Dubai New years of  2015. What’s weird is how Kendall and Hailey were besties so the fact that she didn’t go was a little off putting. Being an all girls trip obviously Justin stayed home and one thing led to another. BAM! Hailey and Justin end up together and Justin cheats on Selena. “Can’t keep my hands to myself I mean I could but why would I want to?”

Looks like Hailey took Selena’s lyrics a little too far this time. The drama seems to be dying down a little bit, but fans are questioning why Justin hasn’t defended his wife, Mrs. Hailey, at all. After all he did say he believes their marriage was secretly arranged.

And Justin’s mom agrees. The real Mrs.Bieber (Justin’s Mom)  posted on her twitter account during this war “Don’t be ugly. Hate is ugly.” I think she’s a Selena fan too.

Grease is the Word: The Return of the Fall Musical.

By: Logan Brower

November, 2018, Hermon High School performs the musical “Annie” as their fall production. Just another fall musical in a long line that came before it. This was a tradition at Hermon, every year the theater program would produce a fall musical and it became a very popular tradition, both for performers and for members of the community. Little did anyone know at the time, “Annie” would be the last musical to be produced at Hermon for 4 years.

November, 2019, Hermon High School’s first year in a long time without a musical. That fall the theater production produced “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” a well received play, but it wasn’t the same as the traditional fall musical. That winter, One Act and Show Choir were both at the end of their seasons, with One Act having just competed in Skowhegan with their show “The Knave of Hearts” and Show Choir having competition in a few weeks with the show “Seasons”. It was time for the winter showcase, where both of these groups would be performing their shows. This showcase became canceled due to the increase in cases of the new pandemic Covid-19. Students were told that there would be a 2 week pause of school and the showcase would potentially be able to go on after this period. Students did not return until the fall of that year.

This was the beginning of the downfall of Hermon’s theater program. For the next two years, the things that Hermon theater was able to produce was very limited, and even when they were able to do more things, the turnout wasn’t very high. Theater was barely surviving, having just become a hollow shell of its former self. 

Early summer, 2022, what seemed to be the true nail in the coffin for Hermon theater. The current teacher and director was leaving Hermon and moving on to new things. Without this teacher at the school going forward, and no word on a new one, student performers were very unsure about what the program was going to look like moving forward.

Enter Ms. Robinson.

Ms. Robinson, who came into the picture seemingly out of nowhere, suddenly became a light at the end of the tunnel that Hermon performers had been waiting for. Immediately starting the next school year, Ms. Robinson was adamant about the return of the fall musical. She wasn’t able to share what this show would be at the time due to licensing concerns, but she assured the theater community that something BIG was in the works. And big it was.

“Grease”. One of the most famous and well known musicals of all time. There was much excitement from the performers at the school, and also many new performers. Any doubts that performers had about the success of this show were demolished on day 1 of auditions. To say that the audition room was full of talented individuals, would be a gross understatement. The talent that the entire cast had as a whole, is more talent than any show that has been at Hermon in recent years, even going back to before the musicals died.

Because of the time it took to obtain licensing, “Grease” was put onto a smaller time table than what was hoped. Between the amazing leadership of Ms. Robinson, along with Ms. Erb as the choreographer, and some seniors to act as role models for the younger performers, the group banded together to produce a show that was truly amazing.

The lead roles of Danny Zuko and Sandy Dumbrowski, were played by sophomore Tristan Allen and senior Abbie Burgess. However unlike the typical musical it was not the leads that stole the show. There was no one specific person that “stole the show” but it was a group effort on every actor’s part that made the show as good as it was. Every character was a fan favorite, the audience members had a hard time picking favorites because everybody played their roles so well. 

The Hermon community showed their support for the theater program with this production. “We oversold on opening night,” said Ms. Robinson, “that was a great indication that the community is ready to see this type of programming again.”  On opening night, extra seats were brought in to accommodate the extra seating. Not only was the turnout high, but the energy and applause were high as well. The community showed up to support theater at Hermon and they continued that support throughout the entire show weekend.

The future looks bright for the theater program at Hermon. This year the theater program will be performing “Shuddersome: Tales of Poe” for One Act festival, and show choir will be putting together a tribute to artists lost in 2022. In the spring there will be a production as well but there is no word on what that will be. 

Most importantly, the musical is back. A lost tradition at Hermon High School is now in full swing once again thanks to Ms. Robinson. As Ms. Robinson puts it, “we’re back, we’re moving, and we’re going to keep going.” 

(all photos from the Hermon Arts Boosters Facebook page)

You’re a Legend, Hagrid

By: Lyndsee Reed

Growing up is a bittersweet experience.  

Being a kid, you see the world full of innocence and wonder.  Focusing your time on the little things that spark your interest. Imagining what the world would be like if the stories you read in books would just fall off the page into existence.  If all the wizards, spells, and dragons would appear like you had envisioned every time you started a new chapter in those beloved Harry Potter books.

Until you can. 

Through the magic of the cinema, you can see those very characters in as real of an experience as you can get.  Watching the stories unfold with real faces, features, and personalities to finally assign to the characters you’ve grown to love.  

But soon enough you’re an adult.  

The innocence and wonder doesn’t shine as bright as it once used to.  And reality starts to kick in.  Those characters you spent so much time being invested in are played by real people.  People that you feel like you owe the world to for bringing your beloved stories to life.  They managed to capture the essence of their given character with such perfection, that you couldn’t possibly imagine a world, real or imaginary, without them.

Those people grow up with you.  Outside the screen they live life just the same.  Except for the fact that they have a minor head start.  All these actors and actresses we’ve spent so much time idolizing, eventually leave the real world to join the very characters they portrayed in one that’s not. 

And the world of Harry Potter lost a character very dear to the franchise this past Friday, October 14, 2022.  Actor Robbie Coltrane, who’s remembered for his flawless portrayal of Hogwarts Groundskeeper, Hagrid, passed away at the age of 72. 

Hagrid was a character that you couldn’t help but fall in love with.  I remember watching that first movie and almost instantly falling in love with his character.  He always seemed to be an escape from the chaos that unfolded countless times within the walls of Hogwarts.  He was the embodiment of a goofy uncle and a safe place to not only the children at Hogwarts, but to me and the multitude of people that lay beyond that 4th wall as well.

“Robbie was the most fun uncle I’ve ever had” and he “made us a family”.   Emma Watson, who played Hermione Granger in the series, mentioned about Coltrane’s passing:.  “His talent was so immense it made sense he played a giant– he could fill ANY space with his brilliance.” (cnn.com)

He was a man that had built his career with warmth and care for those around him.  Striving to bring a sense of positivity and lightheartedness to any set he stumbled upon.  And he did that with ease.  

“Robbie cared and looked after everyone around him. Effortlessly. And made them laugh. Effortlessly. He was a big friendly giant on screen, but even more so in real life.”  Tom Felton, who portrayed Draco Malfoy, described of his experiences working with Coltrane. (cnn.com)

Robbie took his charming personality and put it into his character, making it what it is today.  There is no Hogwarts without Hagrid.  When it got down to those final battles the concern for Hargid’s wellbeing was always greater than the other main characters.  He managed to make a fan favorite of himself in the movies.  Something that only a handful of people can truly do.  Creating a character that resonates so incredibly with the audience, while also living a normal life that people admire as well.  

Even though his performance never quite got the Oscar winning nomination it deserved, in the hearts of the fans it certainly did.  But it’s not the awards or accomplishments that truly matter when it comes down to it.  It’s the impact and impression you leave on the world and those in it.

Although we can’t stop the hands of time or conjure up a spell that grants immortality, those memories can still live on.  We can still escape to Hagrid’s hut on the boundary of Hogwarts through the books and movies that will surely live on for years to come.  Reawakening that once lost innocence and wonder within our lives.

Yes, growing up is a bittersweet experience.

But it wouldn’t truly be life if it wasn’t.  The memories and career Coltrane had made will continue to impact countless lives.  He may be gone, but he’s never going to be forgotten.
As Robbie himself said, “The legacy of the movies is that my children’s generation will show the films to their children.  So you could be watching in 50 years time easy. “

“I’ll not be here, sadly, but Hagrid will.  Yes” (newsweek.com).