Updated 9:21 a.m. March 7, 2025
By Robert Tomlinson
News Director
MENDON — Students from Mendon, Centreville and Colon will showcase their acting chops in a horror-comedy play coming to Mendon this weekend.
The Mendon Drama Club will be putting on a production of “Elsewhere,” a play written by Don Zoldis, this weekend at the Mendon Elementary gymnasium, located at 306 Lane St. in Mendon. Showdates are March 7-9, with Friday and Saturday shows beginning at 7:30 p.m. and the Sunday matinee starting at 2 p.m.
“Elsewhere” tells the story of a group of students at a boarding school in New Hampshire as they go into an abandoned headmaster’s house that sits on the outskirts of campus. The structure was abandoned for decades after the star athlete of the school – the headmaster’s son – went missing inside. As they venture into the house, a grandfather clock starts to chime, and the students are transported to the world of Elsewhere, where, according to a half-human/half-buffalo librarian that lives there, “the mind goes when it wanders.” However, the longer they stay, the more it seems there’s something not quite right with the fantasy utopia, and to escape, the group of four kids has to journey through their darkest nightmares.
The four main students are Ariel, who is played by Jara Lorenz; Sylvan, played by Nevaeh Johnson; Vi, played by Paige Scott; and Jenna, played by Iszy Reyes. The role of Jacob, the half-human/half-buffalo, is played by Anthony Moreno. The rest of the cast includes Kohl Gonser, who plays Steven, Mr. Bear, and a unicorn; Emily Foster, who plays the Tooth Fairy and Viola; Josh Marshall, who plays Frostbringer and a clockmaker; Kaycie Tyler, who plays Amber Phoenix; Arunee Morgan, who plays Mrs. Bear and a music teacher; Irene Sanchez, who plays Brinley; and Zabrina Zetty, who plays another music teacher and Margaret.
All the cast members are students in middle school or high school, with seven Mendon students, two Colon students, a Centreville students, and two foreign exchange students.
Eathan Bingaman, the show’s director, said the play was selected to help students work on the horror genre, but also allow the cats skills in comedic timing to “shine through.” He said working with the cast has been great thus far, and he has seen improvement from them over the course of rehearsals.
“They had to get used to this genre at first, but they really went fully into it and the show is just a blast,” Bingaman said. “They play off each other really well, and I’m excited for folks to see these students scare your socks off and then in the next scene when they have you rolling with laughter in the aisles. As actors, the students are doing such a great job at finding the subtext of the scenes that deepen the character’s relationships.”
Many of the characters that live in Elsewhere, including Jacob, Brinley, and Viola, are represented as puppets in the play, something Bingaman said was an interesting subject to teach the cast.
“The puppetry has been a really fun challenge for us but it has become so much better than I could have imagined. We even have one that fills almost the entire stage,” Bingaman said. “The kids have learned a lot about puppetry and how to scare an audience as we have been doing this show. It really makes Elsewhere come to life.”
Some of the main themes of the play are found family and friendship, something Bingaman said is relatable to many members of the cast.
“It’s a story about students like the students in our program. It says that time can be your most valuable asset, but you have to keep moving forward,” Bingaman said. “The show does get very scary and serious at points throughout, but it’s really about friendship and sticking together no matter what happens.”
Because of scenes that could scare younger audiences, Bingaman said the play is “rated” PG-13, and that parental discretion is advised. Despite that, Bingman said audiences will enjoy what the Drama Club’s production brings to the table.
“We have tried really hard to make something that is really scary and really funny. I believe that the students have accomplished that, so I hope folks can come support these young artists,” Bingaman said.
Tickets are $10 for general admission, $8 for seniors and students, and $25 for a family pass that pays for two adults and three kids. Tickets can be purchased the day of the show at the door.
An original version of this article incorrectly listed the roles for Anthony Moreno and Kohl Gonser, as well as incorrectly stated Ke Millard was an actor in the show. The Commercial-News apologizes for the errors and for any confusion it may have caused.
Robert Tomlinson can be reached at 279-7488 or robert@wilcoxnewspapers.com.
