Twenty-four actors performed in the winter play, “The Madwoman of Chaillot,” Feb. 5, 6 and 7.

The show focuses on the story of Madame Aurelia, played by Natalie Musicant ’17, who attempts to work with her friends to rid the world of evil.

“The whole cast clicked on opening night,” said Talia Lefkowitz ’17, who played Mademoiselle Gabrielle. “We were so ready for an audience, and we were all playing off of each other so well. It felt so good to finally have someone see the play.”

The play was adapted by performing arts department chair and director Rees Pugh, and it was originally written in 1943 by Jean Giraudoux, a French dramatist. It was performed in 1945 for the first time.

“I wanted to choose [a play that was] unusual and abstract and call upon myself and the cast to think and work outside of our artistic comfort zones,” Pugh said.
The cast of this play was about half the size of the 49-member cast of the fall musical, “West Side Story.”

“It’s more of an ensemble show,” stage manager Jona Yadidi ’16 said. “Everyone is dependent on each other and can’t tell the story without one another. One can’t exist without the other.”

Auditions for the play started Nov. 10 right after the fall musical had finished.

“It’s been long and hard, but it’s been worth it,” Yadidi said.