"This one time in Vietnam..."

Salem: A Play With Puppets

I'll admit, when I first saw Salem a couple months ago, I really hated it. I mean, I really didn't like it. I thought it was cheesy and at times very repetive, and very boring. I even thought the puppets were pretty ridiculous. I've been in my fair share of plays and musicals at Dunbar, but this is the first show I've gotten to be a part of that was written and continued to be written, for our group of actors. Day in and day out I watched as lines got cut, scenes got exteneded, and different interactions were set in place that weren't there the day before. Most times, actors are handed a script and told "this is the character you will play and act like they're supposed to", but in the case of Salem, the actors were given exerpts of a script and told "be yourselves, and I'll write the script based on what you did with it." The outline of a show was given and the playwrite made edits and changes based on what the actors thought. Some of the actors even came up with their own lines and when the playwrite felt they were funny or added to the plot of the show, he added them to the script. I feel that is why this show is special to those who are in it and got to be a part of it: they got a say in how it happened. The show grew and matured in it's own way. I have really come to love Salem. It never fails to make me laugh and I've really enjoyed being behind the scenes for this show. I really feel that Salem is the best competion show Dunbar has put on the past few years. This show touches on multiple topics, and sends a great message to the audience while also being extremely funny and witty. It has also been great to see what the actors have done with their puppets. I have gotten to play with the puppets multiple times, and it's not as easy as it looks. The show has definitely given me more of an appreciation for the art of playwriting and because this is the first time I've ever been on Tech, more of an appreciation for what those do that the audience can't see. Everything is hard work, and it takes a special group of people to put on a show like Salem. I have been very blessed to be a part of the show, and it really has been an experience that I will cherish.

Kentucky Thespian Festival with the Salem Cast :)