The Abington High School Drama Club met in-person after school on Tuesday, Nov. 17.  Drama students like junior Maria Wood, sophomore Phoebe Libby, freshman Colin McDermott, and others met in the auditorium for the first time since being apart due to Covid.

It was seven months ago that the Drama students were together. On the final night of rehearsal before opening “Mama Mia” on Thur. March 12, it was suddenly cancelled due to the coronavirus.

The Drama Club kids now have to wear masks and practice social distancing when they meet.

Mr. Shannon, head of the Drama Club, said there are limitations to what they can do. “This year in Drama there are limitations to what we can do based on the guidance issued by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). As of now, indoor singing and musical theater is not permitted. However, we can focus on acting indoors with the same protocols in place that we have for classrooms (masks, distancing, etc.),” he said.

Right now, Shannon is trying to hold some acting workshops on Tuesdays after school from 2:10 – 3:30. He said, “If someone would like to attend, they can show up or sign up in advance of each Tuesday by emailing me.”

Shannon explained what students can expect for the meetings. “The sessions focus on basic acting techniques, improv, monologues, and scene work,” he said.

Students in both cohorts could attend the after-school sessions if they were not marked absent that day. Mr. Shannon said, “If they are in the Green cohort, they would need to exit the building at 1:50 and reenter through the Auditorium/Fitness Center entrance at 2:10.”

As for an actual show, Shannon is “hoping to mount something in the Spring.” There will be no fall show. “As of now, there are still many restrictions related to large gatherings, so we will need to be creative about how we can present our work to an audience,” Shannon said.

Due to Covid, no one has a clear idea of what the spring will look like. Shannon said, “As a result, we will have to prepare for many different scenarios and be flexible as none of really know what things will look like in a few months.”

The AHS Drama Club is open to anyone in the high school who wants to join.

Writer Alex Jernegan is a member of the Drama Club.