Every year, FHS performs a one-act play. This year, “The End Of Civilization As We Know It” by Mark Kaufmann will be performed, directed by FHS senior Daphne Emmert.
“The End Of Civilization As We Know It” is a drama-comedy story about students who are taking a history test when their teacher, Mrs. Mangles, shows up late, revealing that her husband cheated on her. The teacher decides to change the test questions to ask the students about ways she can get revenge. The students have to figure out a way to pass the test because if they do not come up with good ideas, they will fail the class.
“I had to read through a lot of scripts, and I knew I wanted to do something of a comedy, because that’s just the most fun to do,” Emmert said. “It’s easiest to learn as well. But I knew for myself, I want to do a big plot twist somewhere in the show. When I was looking through scripts, I found this script, and I was like, ‘Wow, that is a plot twist I never saw coming.’ So it’s a bit of a drama-comedy, which I thought was hilarious.”
For the one-act play, students who are not in a theater or drama class were still able to participate, so students with various levels of experience were able to audition. “I would say I’m really looking forward to seeing how the cast works together, because we have a cast of 13, so it’s a pretty small cast,” Emmert said. “And I know when you have smaller cast dynamics and relationships and friendships actually form a little bit easier. So I can’t wait to see how the cast interacts with each other and maybe [make] friendships for later on.”
Rehearsals will continue to happen from October to January during lunch and tutorials.
“We really only had our first rehearsal yesterday, but I guess [my favorite part of rehearsal so far] was just meeting the cast, and just kind of like knowing what I’m getting myself into, and knowing who I’m going to be doing it with,” FHS sophomore Harper Roth said. “It’s great. Also, a couple of my friends are doing it with me, so that’s also fun.”
Costumes and sets are also an important part of the production. The play will use minimal sets to allow for easy transportation, since the play will be performed as a competition piece at Westmont High School. After months of hard work, the cast will perform the one-act play at WHS on Jan. 17, 2026. Additionally, it will be performed on Jan. 30, 2026 in the Shannon Theater during tutorial and after school.
