As the actors prep under the guidance of their director, Cam High’s latest play, Death Takes a Holiday, steadily chugs forward toward its big premiere.

Death takes a Holiday is a dark comedy written in 1929, taking place in Italy during the aftermath of  World War I. The main character is Death, played by Matthew Schroeder, junior, who wants to try and understand the experiences of being human. Death becomes human for three days, but the things he finds, while living among his noble Italian family, are more unexpected than imagined.

“We are having a lot of fun. It’s all about discovery,”said Mr. Richard Winterstein, director of the play and an English 3 teacher at Cam High. “The progress for the actual show is going well.”  Winterstein said he has a mix of Cam High theater veterans and newcomers cast in the play.

Stefanie Chordigian, sophomore, is the stage manager. Her job is to ensure that everything runs smoothly by helping the crew backstage, reminding actors if they forget their choreography, repairing broken props and organizing necessary items. She has been a manager for three years, two being at Skyway Play Theater and one at Cam High. “It’s super fun, one of the most fun classes and being in plays is one of the best things in my life.”

Danika Elvine, senior, plays Grazia, an 18 year old girl that is described as gentle and charming (who forms a relationship with death in the play.) “It’s awesome. You learn a lot, not just about drama but about yourself.”

Anna Stevenson, junior, plays Rhoda Fenton, a British girl who Stevenson describes as ditsy and she said she enjoys playing such a unique character. “Rhoda is more concerned about her appearance, how she comes across in the play, and she doesn’t understand how Grazia and the other characters aren’t more like her,” Stevenson said that she’s also enjoying working in the production. “The cast gets along pretty decently, it’s like a family.”

Death Takes a Holiday opens on Thursday, November 7 and runs November 8 and 9 at 7:30 pm and also November 14, 15 and 16 at 7 pm at the little theater in room D-2.

Micheal Huber contributed to this story.