Fort Defiance Players is returning with a new play this year: A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder. The play’s first performance will be on October 20th at 7:30 and can be seen at Defiance Community Auditorium. 

The play follows a man named Monty Navarro as he kills his way through his family line to become the new Earl. Underneath that is a romance plot with Monty trying to decide between two women. One of the stars of this play is actually a teacher here at DHS, Spanish teacher Jenna Gibson. Gibson has described the play as being “so funny. There’s so much energy we all have to do so many different things. It’s very hectic backstage and onstage for everybody.” 

In the play, the major character Gibson plays is Lady Eugenia D’Ysquith, the current Countess. Her husband is the current Earl of the family. Gibson is really enjoying the role of Eugenia, she explained that “She’s just very dramatic.

She’s a very fun character to play. I’m very dramatic, but she’s dramatic in a different way. And I’m loud and whiny like this high pitched voice that I do … I have to act like a chicken at one point.”

In the play Dr. Robert Barnett portrays the main character Navarro and other members of the D’Ysquith family including Eugenia’s husband. Gibson described her chemistry with Barrett as being “Us being husband and wife and fighting on stage and yelling at each other has been really funny that we just get to be obnoxious up there …  Bob and I growl at each other. There are lots of fun things that Bob and I get to do on stage as this husband and wife pair.” 

As had been touched earlier in the play the cast portrays multiple characters. With this some challenges arise. Gibson explained what some of the problems are, “we have tons of crazy costume changes and just a lot of different characters that we’ve had to prepare for and figure out for this one.” 

Of course a cast member of the play would be excited about the play, but what do the students here at DHS think about this play? 

Junior Garin Bowling voiced his opinion on plays, “I don’t like plays.” However there is a possibility of Bowling seeing the play, just depends on if he works.  Boden Stoller, a sophomore here at DHS, had a hot take on plays, he said “I don’t think I would watch a play. It’s just like a movie but they do stuff.” 

In contrast sophomore Avery McCarrier said, “Plays are fun to watch. I might go see it, it just depends on my schedule.” Really that’s one of the big reasons why one may not watch the play. Maybe it just doesn’t fit in with their schedule. 

Amongst students here at DHS some are actually helping behind the scenes for the play. One of these students being junior Savannah Hahn. Hahn is working behind the scenes for the play, pulling strings and such. 

Her thoughts on this play being that it is “Pretty cool to see behind the scenes.” For example, “seeing a lot of what people do” behind the curtains that you don’t  “normally see.” 

To add onto this Hahn had mentioned her passion for the theater, and how working with this play has really helped with getting more experience as a theater person. As she has ambitions to land roles within plays. 

The anticipation for this play is growing. Gibson has expressed her excitement about the play, “I think the whole cast as a whole is really excited just to share it with everybody. We’ve put a lot of work in over the last couple of months and we’re getting close. 

We’re about three weeks out. We’re gonna have a really well rounded and hilarious show to put on for you guys. But the best part is to share it with everybody after we’ve put all that work in.”

Remember the first showing is on October 20th. Make sure to check it out, it will be worth a watch.