Jacksonville High School’s fall play, The High-Schooler’s Guide to the Galaxy, is a story of four incoming freshman terrified for their first day of high school. They worry about everything from gym class to bullies and wish there was a guide for students. Then, the author and editor of The High-Schooler’s Guide to the Galaxy appear in the students’ bedrooms, startling them before taking them on a journey through what to do and what not to do in high school.
The play was written by Brian Starchman and was directed by Lynette Cervi, the German teacher at JHS. It was staged on November 30 and December 1 and 2. The author and editor, the main characters of the play, were played by Jacob Roth and Jordin Wyatt, respectively.
The play was especially funny for upperclassmen who’d already experienced some of the trials described in the play, albeit in a less absurd fashion. The descriptions of gym class, lunch, clothing, buses, staff meetings, class clubs, dating and jobs made the audience laugh hysterically.
The play’s title is a reference to The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, an absurdist story by Douglas Adams about an interstellar traveler. The only similarity between the book and the play is the mention of the ultimate answer to life, the universe and everything is 42.
“The turnout for the play was a success, and I have had a wonderful time working with this fantastic group of students,” said Mrs. Cervi.