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‘Curious Incident’ performed at North High

By CHUCK BALLARO 3 min read
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Haley Sprung, who plays Christopher’s mother in the play “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time,” performs Thursday on stage in the North Fort Myers High School parking lot.

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Last spring, the Players Circle Theater planned to do the play “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.” It performed exactly one show before the theater had to close because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This past week, the North Fort Myers High School Theater Department held its version of the play but in a new way to keep people safe.

The show was performed on a rented stage in the parking lot, with the audience socially distanced and the performers wearing clear plastic masks.

Janelle Laux, theater director, said with the restrictions, they would not be allowed to use the theater as planned.

“We were very thankful to the city of Fort Myers for the stage rental and a generous donor who got us the money for the stage rental,” Laux said.

The show also got boost when Harvey Evans, who was set to play the lead character at the theater, reprised the role he only got to play once and that he hopes he can play again if the Players Circle decides to give it another shot.

Evans played Christopher Boone, a 15-year-old math savant on the autism spectrum who goes on an investigation when he discovers his neighbor’s dog has been murdered.

Christopher sets out to solve the crime, embarking on a journey that will change his world forever.

Evans said there were differences beside COVID to overcome. The Players Circle show was set for theater in the round, not for the traditional stage.

“It was tough having to switch. In the round I could go where I wanted, whereas here I had to be in a specific area,” Evans said. “I couldn’t turn my back to the audience. I wish people could get the experience, maybe without the masks.”

There was a total of 12 performers, all of whom sat at the back of the stage in a semi-circle around those performing, visible to the crowd. Many of them played multiple characters, sometimes all participating at the same time during the more complex scenes.

Kagen Vann, who played Christopher’s father, said the format caught him off guard at first, but you get caught up in the story.

“We’re watching him from a distance and he’s in his own world and sees his own thing. It’s great to see him portray that on stage,” Vann said. “It’s incredible. I have a friend with autism as well, so I have a connection with someone like that.”

Haley Sprung played the mom. She liked the minimal set helped open people’s eyes to Christopher’s situation. It was also a necessity.

“It was a challenge, but we always overcome challenges. It was helpful to have Harvey because he played Christopher so he could help us develop our relationship with Christopher,” Sprung said.

Laux said there are plans to put on “42nd Street” as the spring musical in the third week of March, indoors, pandemic permitting.