Hauser writer's first play to be performed Saturday

Hauser High School Junior Rachel Hoke has always had a passion for writing and this weekend she will see her work brought to life for the first time on the stage as “The Curious Case of Swellview High” debuts at the Hauser Auditorium at 6 pm. Saturday.

“When I was in eighth grade was when I started getting in to theatre,” Hoke says. “And, so, naturally, I started to gravitate to writing plays.”

The play’s protagonist is a young girl named Audrey who one could say is a typical teenager, Hoke says. Set in the 1950s, Audrey falls in love with a neighbor boy named Johnny who seems to only have eyes for a new girl at school. Heartbroken, Audrey takes her devastation and begins to rebel against the idea of what it means to be perfect. She begins hanging out with her childhood friend Diesel, who is a greaser. As an act of rebellious spite, Audrey goes to the school dance with Diesel, much to the dismay of her parents. However, once there, the evening takes a turn.

While at the dance, the students discover one of their classmates has been murdered. So, the guys and girls split up to see if they can find clues and then come back together to confront the killer, Hoke says.

Hoke began writing the play during her freshman year when COVID emerged and the world went in to lockdown, which afforded her the chance to really dedicate time to crafting the characters and plot, she says.

Now, two years later, Hoke says she was finally able to put the finishing touches on it earlier this year.

Inspired by musicals set in the 1950s, 17-year-old Hoke says her play offers drama, suspense and a bit of campiness, too.

“When I was in ninth grade, I was watching a show called ‘Riverdale’ and the second season has this murder plot line and, in the comic, because it is based off the Archie comic, that is where the idea started,” she says. “It really came together with my love for musicals set in the 1950s like ‘Grease,’ ‘Zombie Prom’ and ‘Westside Story.’”

Hoke says she was also inspired by her friend, Sarah Taylor, who died in September 2020 after a courageous battle with cancer.

“She was always about going for things and just being an advocate for yourself and not being afraid to do things,” Hoke recalls. “This was a literal dream of mine and I felt like I owed it to her, as well as myself, to give it a chance and try it.”

When Hoke’s friend and classmate, Brady Burton, found out she was a playwright things simply came together.

“I followed along with her as she was writing it,” Burton says. “It has evolved and I think she’s hit it out of the park.”

Burton, who is a senior, says his past roles with school productions has revolved around set production, so directing is a new and welcomed hat to wear, he says, and for more reasons than one.

Not only is this his first directorial role, but it is also the first production at Hauser that was opened up to more than just high school students.

The play calls for crowd scenes, especially during the dance, and Hoke thought, ‘Why not open it up to more than just high school students?’

“I really wanted to include the middle schoolers, because it needs a big cast and I felt like they are one hallway away,” she says. “With this play, I really wanted to make acting more available to people. In the end, we found a lot of people who haven’t had the opportunity to act and show off their skills. I’m just so glad we are able to help them develop their skills and give them a stage to perform on.”

As Hoke and Burton continue with rehearsals leading up to opening night this weekend, the pair says it has been an amazing experience.

When Hoke first began writing the play, she says she began hoarding 1950s-style costumes and elements with the hope that the play might one day be performed on stage.

“So most of it was costumed by the time we even started,” she says.

Rehearsals have gone from a couple of hours twice a week to more frequent, longer and intense meetings, they say, but it is worth it as the long hours have helped the cast grow in their abilities as actors, and to establish a rapport amongst them.

“Rehearsals have been great and everyone works together really well,” Burton says. “It is a little chaotic, but it is controlled chaos and kinda fun.”

Opening up casting to more than just high school students may also fuel continued interest in theatre, the pair hope.

“Most of the people who have been in past productions are all seniors and we don’t really have a huge group of underclassmen who have been with it for a while,” Burton says. “So we are trying to cultivate that next group of kids who want to carry on theatre, so when we are gone we can see the theatre program continue.”

Hoke admits it has been difficult to tread the role of producer in that switching hats from being in charge to being a peer can be difficult at times. But it is a duality she embraces.

As she anticipates opening night, Hoke remains hopeful that the audience enjoys the play and if there’s a message they take away it is one of simplicity in wording but profound in meaning.

“I hope that they remember – there’s a lot of symbolism of hope,” Hoke says. “I hope they take away that in the direst of times there’s still people you can lean on and hope you can hang onto.”