A Service of The Arrow           Friday December 17, 1999 7:52 PM

By: Scott Bennett

ARROW STAFF

Theater productions at Flathead High School are famous for, among other things, never holding back. Cast members experienced the negative side of that intensity when sophomore Zack Fawcett was dragged across a nail. Luckily, he was unhurt.

“The bad kids, the Herdmans, drag me across the floor because I'm trying to escape them, and there was a nail sticking up on one of the boards on the set, and I just kinda got dragged across it,” said Fawcett.

Since many of the characters featured in The Best Christmas Pageant Ever are children, that energy pervades practices, that, combined with the large cast (27 students, counting the choir), makes for often tumultuous rehearsals.

“Rehearsals are tough, especially with such a big cast,” said senior Genevieve Thomas. “There's a lot of energy, but sometimes its difficult to harness that energy into the play.”

Director Dawn Hashley, best known for her musical collaborations with FHS's theater program and directing last years', Pinocchio, is the director for The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. Performance dates will be in the third week of December, on the 16, 17, 18 and 20. Miss Hashley has an advantage as director: by day, she is a fourth grade teacher, allowing her to better understand a play about children, and to, in a way, make it more real.

“As each piece of costume is added to the play, it just adds more to the Christmas spirit we have as a cast,” said Dawn Hashley.

For multiple cast members, the youthful Christmas spirit comes alive, both in their characters and in participating in their first theatrical experience.

“It's really fun to see kids experiencing FHS drama for the first time,” said assistant director Ivanna Fritz.

Despite the occasional disorderly rehearsal, this large, varied cast manages to come together daily to prepare for a Christmas celebration onstage.

“The play really gets you into the Christmas spirit, it reminds you of when you were little around Christmas time,” said junior Jenny Granrud. “It's a children's play, so it's innocent, and good.”

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