This week marks the first of many rehearsals for Abington High’s 2025 fall play, The Curse of the Bard. The play will open November 20th and have its closing performance on November 21st. Both shows will start at 7pm. This will be the first show this year under the direction of Ms. Mullen as one the drama club’s new co-advisors. I was fortunate to interview Ms. Mullen about this year’s play and her new role as a co-advisor to the drama club.
Michelangelo-Umile: What is the show this year about, for those who don’t know?
Mullen: The fall play this year is called The Curse of the Bard by Stephen Murray. The show takes place at “Hilltop Highschool” where they will be putting on a performance of Romeo and Juliet. However, the school did a musical version of Shakespeare’s “Scottish Play” over twenty years ago and has cursed the theatre ever since! Hopefully they can still put on a performance, but the director Peter Donahue is not very sure.
Michelangelo-Umile: Why did you pick this show?
Mullen: When choosing this show over the summer there were a lot of factors. One strong one was that our drama budget is not where we would like it to be. I wanted to select a production that would allow many students to be involved while keeping costs minimal. The fact that this show is set in a high school, and even centers around a school struggling with its own budget, made it a perfect fit. As much as I loved Clue last year, it was difficult to tell students there weren’t enough roles since the cast was limited to just eleven characters. This year’s production not only offers 22 named roles but also includes an ensemble—each ensemble member even has a speaking line! As a result, we have a cast of 28 students and over 20 more interested in crew. We are so excited to see our program continue to grow, and we wanted to choose a show that would celebrate that growth and give as many students as possible the opportunity to shine.
Michelangelo-Umile: What do you hope for people to take from/feel after the show?
Mullen: I hope people truly enjoy this show. It’s not only very funny, but also a pretty accurate glimpse into the world of high school theatre especially when the school has a limited budget. More than anything, I hope the audience can feel the fun, energy, and sense of community that our cast and crew have already shared throughout this process.
Michelangelo-Umile: Why did you decide to take on the role of drama club advisor?
Mullen: I have always loved the Abington High School Drama Club, ever since I had the opportunity to participate in it as a student! Mr. Shannon was instrumental in encouraging my love of theatre, and after graduating from Abington, I continued to pursue that passion by double-majoring in Education and Performing Arts in college. During that time, I was also an active member of my school’s musical theatre club, eventually serving as president—a role with responsibilities very similar to that of an advisor. This year, Mr. Leonelli and I are thrilled to serve as co-advisors. We’ve found that we make a strong team: I focus on the artistic vision of the club while Mr. Leonelli manages the logistical side. Drama Club has always been a safe and welcoming space for me, and I am so excited to help create that same experience for today’s students.
Michelangelo-Umile: How has being the advisor gone so far?
Mullen: Being a co-advisor has been great so far! Everyone seems really excited about the show and the school year in general. We have a lot of new faces in the program this year and a lot of returning upperclassmen, so it makes for a nice balance and a smooth transition.
Michelangelo-Umile: What are you looking forward to in drama club this year?
Mullen: There are a lot of things I am looking forward to this year for the drama club! Obviously, I am excited for the show itself, November 21st and 22nd but I am also excited for the cast bonding activities and fundraisers we are looking to do this year. I really think we have a great group so spending time with them and getting to show off their talents is my favorite thing!
Be sure to save the dates for this hilarious and community filled show! It’s bound to be another amazing production from the Abington High drama club!
