BATTLE MOUNTAIN - Battle Mountain High School drama class students gave their all in their performance of "Dinner at Eight, Dead by Nine," a two-act murder mystery comedy, which featured eight drama class students and three last-minute fill-ins. The event was held at the Civic Center. Dinner started at 6 p.m. and the play began at 7:15 p.m.
The dinner theater play was a success, said Jacqueline Lindsey, the high school English and drama teacher. She pointed out that six of the eight students from the drama class who performed had never before been on a stage.
"Oh, it went really well," said Lindsey. "From the audience's response, the laughter, the applause, and the comments afterward, it was all positive. Everyone just had a blast."
Of the students' performances, Lindsey said, "They absolutely nailed it. I am so proud of the entire cast."
The students rehearsed four days a week beginning in mid September for the one-night show that attracted 110 audience members. There were originally 100 tickets for sale but Lindsey had to increase that number in order to accommodate all of the parents of the performers.
A total of $1,100 was made from the sale of the tickets and another $452 was made from the silent dessert auction that was hosted by the high school Academic Team during the intermission.
The dessert auction included items made by the Academic Team and items donated by the community. Lindsey said there was everything from cakes and cookies to pies and cheesecakes. A strawberry cake made by Jonnie Davenport sold for $130, she said. All proceeds from the dessert auction will be split evenly with the Academic Team, said Lindsey. All other monies raised from the event will go toward next year's drama class production.
In addition to the play and dessert auction, the tickets included an all-you-can-eat buffet-style dinner of noodles with an Italian meat sauce, garlic bread, salad and non-alcoholic beverages.
While enjoying their meal, the audience became part of the event, playing the role of attendees at a celebratory banquet.
The event was made possible by the community, said Lindsey. Newmont donated a $1,000 grant to the drama class for the 2011-12 school year, said Lindsey.
The PTA ran the kitchen during the event, doing set up, clean up and restocking the buffet. Members of the Longhorn Youth Team (LYT), the Honor Society and the Leadership Class acted as servers and sported Italian aprons. The aprons were made by the high school's clothing construction class.
The stage setting, which consisted of banquet tables, was provided by the Civic Center. All of the food was donated by Midway Market and Etcheverry Food Town and prepared by the Owl Club. Discount Liquor provided the non-alcoholic beverages.
This was the first time for a dinner theater play to be presented in the six years that Lindsey has been teaching at the high school, she said.
"It was a great experience for my students and the audience as well and I am very pleased," said Lindsey.
The cast members consisted of three fill-ins - Cody Bergsrud, who played Nick Quartermaine, Lindsey, who played Eleanor Van Hausen and Tara Love, executive director of the Lander County Convention and Tourism Authority, who played Nora Dumond.
The drama students included Hector Diaz, who played Inspector Bungler, Damon Nelson, who played Desmond Kennedy, Samantha McKenzie, who played Hadley, Andresa Dinwiddie, who played Dr. Rank, Krystopher Williams, who played Ramona, Matthew Gerard, who played Tommy, Guthrie Ricks, who played Darby, and Alyssa Wristen, who played Maggie.
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