Abington Journal

Lackawanna Trail Drama Club to present ‘Out of the Frying Pan’ March 23-25

CLINTON TWP. — Lackawanna Trail Drama Club’s spring play, “Out of the Frying Pan” by Francis Swann, slated for March 23-25, is a show of “firsts.”

It is the school’s first non-musical production since 2010.

It is a first show for eight of the 12 cast members.

And, for at least one actor, Owen Scioscia, it is his first major onstage role, although he took on smaller parts in the past.

“It’s a lot of fun,” Scioscia said of the play. “I enjoy the references and the time period, the clothes.”

According to the play’s synopsis, provided by director Brink Powell, “The story centers on three young men and three young women sharing an apartment in New York City in the early 1940s.

“They are would-be actors who have been driven to this living arrangement due to financial insecurity. The apartment is directly above that of a Broadway producer, who has a current hit running. The would-be actors rehearse the play, but how will they get the producer to see their performance? Complicating matters more is a snippy young friend who threatens to spill the beans to one of the female actor’s mother about the unconventional living arrangements.”

Performances are scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, March 23 and 24 and 2 p.m. Sunday, March 25 in the First National Bank Auditorium at Lackawanna Trail Jr/Sr High School. Tickets are $10 for general admission, $8 for seniors and students and $2 for Lackawanna Trail students.

Scioscia, a sophomore, is performing as Norman, a character he described as “the big brother of the group” who “does everything in the household,” such as the cooking and cleaning.

Jennifer Price, a senior, is cast as the Broadway producer.

“She is a little easy to anger, I would say, and kind of wacky,” Price said.

She added she enjoys the role because of its contrast to her own real-life personality.

“It’s fun to be loud and a little bit freaked out,” she said. “It’s fun to be a different person.”

Another of the actresses, Lauren Zotta, a senior, said the best thing about being in the play, to her, is “being able to have a good time with all of (her) friends.”

She initially joined the crew as stage manager, but was called on to fill the role of Tony after another of the cast members had to withdraw from the production due to a personal matter beyond his control.

Tony, she said, is the “handsomest” of the three male roommates, and secretly married to Marge, one of the three females.

The rest of the cast includes Abby Dalton, Amanda Haft and Rachel Saxton, all sophomores; Madison Norman and Tia Brooks, both freshmen; Cassandra Rivenburg and Kamryn Mercer, both eighth-graders; and Kadence Spencer and Ethan Terpak, both seventh-graders.

According to Powell, the entire cast is doing an amazing job, despite the fact that the majority of the students have never acted before.

“They blow me away,” she said, adding their first rehearsal without their scripts in hand was the best first off-script rehearsal she has ever witnessed in her many years of involvement in community and high school theater productions.

“When we took the scripts out of their hands, the characters came to life,” she said.

“I was sitting there flabbergasted.”

The Lackawanna Trail Drama Club will present its spring play, ‘Out of the Frying Pan,’ a comedy by Francis Swann, at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, March 23 and 24 and 2 p.m. Sunday, March 25. Cast members are, from left, first row, Kamryn Mercer, Madison Norman, Kadence Spencer, Abigail Dalton and Tia Brooks. Second row, Amanda Haft, Rachel Saxton, Owen Scioscia, Ethan Terpak, Eric Craig-Peysson, Cassandra Rivenburg and Jen Price. Absent from photo, Lauren Zotta.
https://www.theabingtonjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/web1_ABJ-Trail-Play-Cast.jpg.optimal.jpgThe Lackawanna Trail Drama Club will present its spring play, ‘Out of the Frying Pan,’ a comedy by Francis Swann, at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, March 23 and 24 and 2 p.m. Sunday, March 25. Cast members are, from left, first row, Kamryn Mercer, Madison Norman, Kadence Spencer, Abigail Dalton and Tia Brooks. Second row, Amanda Haft, Rachel Saxton, Owen Scioscia, Ethan Terpak, Eric Craig-Peysson, Cassandra Rivenburg and Jen Price. Absent from photo, Lauren Zotta. Submitted photo
Roommates spy on their downstairs neighbor via a pipe that runs through the floor, in Lackawanna Trail Drama Club’s spring play, ‘Out of the Frying Pan,’ a comedy by Francis Swann. From left, Owen Scioscia, Ethan Terpak, Lauren Zotta, Abigail Dalton and Kadence Spencer.
https://www.theabingtonjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/web1_ABJ-Trail-Play-1.jpg.optimal.jpgRoommates spy on their downstairs neighbor via a pipe that runs through the floor, in Lackawanna Trail Drama Club’s spring play, ‘Out of the Frying Pan,’ a comedy by Francis Swann. From left, Owen Scioscia, Ethan Terpak, Lauren Zotta, Abigail Dalton and Kadence Spencer. Elizabeth Baumeister | Abington Journal
Lackawanna Trail sophomore Owen Scioscia will perform as Norman in the school drama club’s upcoming production of ‘Out of the Frying Pan’ by Francis Swann.
https://www.theabingtonjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/web1_ABJ-Trail-Play-2.jpg.optimal.jpgLackawanna Trail sophomore Owen Scioscia will perform as Norman in the school drama club’s upcoming production of ‘Out of the Frying Pan’ by Francis Swann. Elizabeth Baumeister | Abington Journal
Rehearsing a scene from the Lackawanna Trail Drama Club’s upcoming production of ‘Out of the Frying Pan’ by Francis Swann are, from left, Madison Norman and Rachel Saxton. Performances will be held at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, March 23 and 24 and 2 p.m. Sunday, March 25 at the high school.
https://www.theabingtonjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/web1_ABJ-Trail-Play-3.jpg.optimal.jpgRehearsing a scene from the Lackawanna Trail Drama Club’s upcoming production of ‘Out of the Frying Pan’ by Francis Swann are, from left, Madison Norman and Rachel Saxton. Performances will be held at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, March 23 and 24 and 2 p.m. Sunday, March 25 at the high school. Elizabeth Baumeister | Abington Journal
Lackawanna Trail Drama Club members Owen Scioscia and Ethan Terpak rehearse a scene from the school’s spring play, ‘Out of the Frying Pan,’ a comedy by Francis Swann, on stage in the high school auditorium.
https://www.theabingtonjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/web1_ABJ-Trail-Play-4.jpg.optimal.jpgLackawanna Trail Drama Club members Owen Scioscia and Ethan Terpak rehearse a scene from the school’s spring play, ‘Out of the Frying Pan,’ a comedy by Francis Swann, on stage in the high school auditorium. Elizabeth Baumeister | Abington Journal
Rachel Saxton’s and Owen Scioscia’s characters get into an argument in the Lackawanna Trail Drama Club’s upcoming production of ‘Out of the Frying Pan’ by Francis Swann, slated for 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, March 23 and 24 and 2 p.m. Sunday, March 25 at the high school.
https://www.theabingtonjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/web1_ABJ-Trail-Play-5.jpg.optimal.jpgRachel Saxton’s and Owen Scioscia’s characters get into an argument in the Lackawanna Trail Drama Club’s upcoming production of ‘Out of the Frying Pan’ by Francis Swann, slated for 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, March 23 and 24 and 2 p.m. Sunday, March 25 at the high school. Elizabeth Baumeister | Abington Journal

By Elizabeth Baumeister

ebaumeister@timesleader.com

IF YOU GO …

What: The Lackawanna Trail Drama Club presents “Out of the Frying Pan” by Francis Swann

When: 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, March 23 and 24 and 2 p.m. Sunday, March 25

Where: Lackawanna Trail Jr./Sr. High School, 28 Tunnel Hill Road

Cost: $10 for general admission, $8 for seniors and students and $2 for Lackawanna Trail students

More info: 570-945-5181

Reach Elizabeth Baumeister at 570-704-3943 or on Twitter @AbingtonJournal