This year’s Upper School Spring play is EVERYBODY by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins! EVERYBODY is an inventive, provocative and very funny adaptation of a 15th century morality play, originally written during a time of pandemic. While it’s a comedy, the work manages to address serious issues of race, white fragility, social media, friendship, family obligations, materialism, mortality, and what makes for a life well-lived.
One of the most exciting aspects of the play is that the main role is chosen at random between four members of the cast at each performance – those actors won’t know whether they’re playing the role until the show has actually started. So, each of the eight performances listed below will be an utterly different experience – depending on whose number is up, literally! Those actors are Isabella Aguilar ’21, Isaiah Kirkland ’22, Silas Lloyd ’21, and Youyang (Sophie) Qin ’23. Some of the lead actors shared their experiences:
Silas Lloyd ’21
How would you describe EVERYBODY to someone who’s never heard of it?
Everybody is a show about a person grappling with their own mortality and questions about the mark they have left (if any at all) on the world and other people.
Do you think this play is a good choice for this time? Why/why not?
I literally don’t think we could have chosen a better piece for the time we’re living in. I think the idea of mortality and self reflection are two huge ideas that everyone been faced with ever since last March. Most people I talk to say they’ve undergone huge changes in their lives and within themselves because of how much time they were forced to spend with themselves and with the situation at hand and this show combines those ideas with humor and sweetness and catharsis I think we’ve all really been yearning for. This show gives us the answers about ourselves that we haven’t been able to find on our own.
Describe the lead character you’re playing.
Flawed. Abundantly flawed. Everybody is truly humanity personified, especially during this crisis. We have seen how flawed humanity and the systems it makes is, we see how we, ourselves, take our own troubles and force them onto other people, we have seen how us at our best can quickly turn to our worst. But we’ve also been introduced to new forms of empathy, of allyship. We are seeing humanity at a time of recovery and I think Everybody really encapsulates that. They are flawed and make mistakes and can be unforgivable, but no one will be unable to empathize with them. Because if you were in their situation, you would probably do the same thing. And even if you wouldn’t, you can understand why they do the things that they do. Even why they make the mistakes they make.
What is it like sharing the lead role with your peers?
I truly wish I could do this with every show. I’ve learned more about acting, about individuality, and about truth through seeing this role through myself and other people than I have with any other show. What’s so great is me and my peers are constantly talking about how we take inspiration from one another, and yet, our performances are so distinguished and entirely their own. It really shows how much you can’t run from yourself, from who you really are. Who each of us is as an individual always bleeds through into our performances even if we do take inspiration from one another at the same time.
How many shows have you been a part of at AFS and what makes this one different?
I think the biggest difference to me has been the cast. I have never experienced such closeness with a cast before. And it was so entirely unexpected as well because COVID and because there are middle schoolers in the show, but there is truly no bad blood between any people in the cast and everyone feels comfortable talking to one another. We support each other 100%. It truly feels like one big family. I’ve never felt so connected to a group of people in a show before.
Why is the AFS theatre program important to you? What makes it special?
The passion of everyone involved. You will not find the kind of dedication that lives within the casts and crews of the AFS theatre program anywhere else. Everyone who gets involved in the shows wants to see the show be the best it can be and they do everything in their power to make it so. Megan, our director, pushes us all equally and holds us all on a pedestal. Her belief in us shines through in all that she does. Seth and the crew spend countless hours, even after school, ensuring every tech thing works, every set piece is built, and that everything is organized perfectly. They probably are more exhausted after the show is done than anyone else involved. I can’t imagine how much effort they put into everything but they make it look so easy when opening night comes around. And of course, the cast will always be the most honest group of young actors you’ll meet. They are always dedicated to bringing truth into their performances even after countless hours of doing the same blocking, lines, and dances over and over again. They truly find purpose in every story they tell.
Isaiah Kirkland ’22
How would you describe EVERYBODY to someone who’s never heard of it?
I would describe EVERYBODY as a show that makes you put things in perspective. It makes you really have to decide what’s most important to you and also reflect on yourself in the process.
Do you think this play is a good choice for this time? Why/why not?
I feel like regardless of the time this play is a good choice. Life and its transience are ideas/concepts that have been around long before us and will be around for years to come.
Describe the lead character you’re playing.
I’d describe “Everybody” as an ignorant but innocent character. The premise of the show is Everybody essentially trying to find other people/things to die with them, which considering the premise is understandable. However, Everybody is stunned by the fact that nobody is willing to die with them and it becomes obvious that Everybody thinks of everyone else in life as just side characters in his life as opposed to having their own separate lives.
What is it like sharing the lead role with your peers?
Sharing this role with my peers has been an exciting experience to say the least. Typically, being double (or quadruple cast) is not a favorite of most actors/actresses, but seeing the way my classmates interpret and embody the role of Everybody is very entertaining. We’ve all been able to take inspiration from each other, however we’ve still managed to make each of our Everybody’s four completely different characters in terms of mannerisms, the choices we make on stage, and so on.
How many shows have you been a part of at AFS and what makes this one different?
This is my first show here at AFS and it’s very different. Aside from the obvious Covid protocols that make it different, the environment is also different from my previous school. At my old school there was a very family like atmosphere since I had been there for so long, however from the beginning of my time here at AFS I have been welcomed into a similar supportive family environment.
Why is the AFS theatre program important to you? What makes it special?
This program is important to me because I believe it can help to grow, not only my acting skills, but also my relationships with other students here. It’s special because it not only has such a supportive environment as mentioned before, but it also provides resources and connection for young actors, actresses, and stage crew that are hard to find elsewhere.
Sophie Qin ’23
How would you describe EVERYBODY to someone who’s never heard of it?
It’s about a person reconciling with their own death and their life aftering trying to find someone to come with them on the journey to death.
Do you think this play is a good choice for this time? Why/why not?
I do think death is a very sensitive topic especially during the pandemic. But this play from my perspective, it’s a good choice because it deals with death in a very different way that you wouldn’t have imagined before seeing the play.
Describe the lead character you’re playing.
The lead character is called Everybody. Everybody goes on a journey to find people in their life that may want to come with them on this journey. The character sometimes is sort of a jerk but the audience also sees moments of vulnerability.
What is it like sharing the lead role with your peers?
It’s definitely exciting to see who is playing Everybody that night and I learned a lot from the other Everybody’s. They are amazing actors and always inspire me to improve and perfect myself.
How many shows have you been a part of at AFS and what makes this one different?
Only this one, actually! This one is really different because it’s my first show at AFS. And I absolutely love it. Not only the experience of making a production during a pandemic but also the sense of community and all the encouragement I’ve received from everybody.
Anything else you want people to know?
I want to thank all the crew members. They worked so hard to make this production happen and they are just amazing.
