TJ drama team takes on comedy for its annual fall play.
by Lauren Abrams
Immediately as the curtain rises, Thomas Jefferson’s audience will be in hysterics as this year’s fall play kicks off with a rare comedy, Moon Over Buffalo.
Moon Over Buffalo is about an aspiring theatrical couple who, while traveling Buffalo, New York with the rest of their fellow actors, attempt to earn the lead roles in their upcoming play in which the famous director Frank Capra is expected to make an appearance.
Taking on Moon Over Buffalo as this year’s fall play was an easy decision once Thomas Jefferson’s Head Director Michael Palmieri considered the facts. “There were two things that really inspired me to choose Moon Over Buffalo. First, was that we had never done a comedy before. Second, it was recommended to me by a friend, and once I read the script I knew it was the one.”
One of Palmieri’s biggest jobs every year is to put together a solid drama team. “To me, the drama team is a group of kids who have successfully auditioned and are capable of performing on stage or in tech,” said Palmieri.
This will be Palmieri’s third year coaching drama at TJ, and he takes the fall play very seriously. “My vision for the fall play is to provide an opportunity for students at TJ to participate in cutting edge theatre while entertaining their peers.”
Auditions for Moon Over Buffalo were September 9th and 10th, and concluded with the casting of two leading students: Manny Perez and Mina Bradley.
“I love hanging out with the cast and Mr. Palmieri. The cast seems great this year,” says Perez.
Bradley shares the enthusiasm with her counterpart in the male leading role. “The play was cast absolutely perfectly. Everyone fits their part just right, and I think that will be obvious when the play comes together. It’s is absolutely hysterical and will definitely be one to remember,” says Bradley.
