From fast paced and touching musicals, to shorts that leave the audience in fits of laughter, the always preoccupied theater program never fails to find ways to appeal to audiences and create a fresh approach to the arts. This year’s winter play seems to be no exception, based on the already unconventional auditions.

On Sept. 27, auditions were held for the characters starring in the short play “Kimberly Akimbo”, the newest addition to the theatre arts since “the Addams Family”, which began production on Sept. 12. While having an exceptionally small cast of only five characters, the play is expected to use the lesser amount of actors to its advantage and try to apply a unique angle for the upcoming rehearsals.

           “I think it’ll be easier to manager the actors and to get the show together.” Abigail Cakebread, junior, said. “A smaller cast makes it slightly easier.”

Cakebread is the assistant stage manager of the play. “I’m in charge of helping to call cues, mounting things on stage, and checking to see that everyone has their things.” Cakebread said. “I help the stage manager tell people what to do, have actors prepared and have techs do their jobs. Along with that is doing whatever the director says and making suggestions to them.”

While this is her first time being an assistant stage manager, she has also been involved in musicals such as the “Music Man”, “Shorts”, “Grease the Musical”, “Real Inspector Hound” and “Black Comedy”. Cakebread has been involved in the earliest stages of production for Kimberly Akimbo, and already believes the auditions have hinted at the actor’s talents.

“From the people that auditioned, I could tell they worked hard on their scenes.” Cakebread said. “There was definitely stuff I thought they should work on. But because of the seniors that have done so many shows, I think it’ll be an interesting experience.”

The cast will consist of a mix of sophomores, juniors and seniors. The director of the play, Eric Nepom, and production stage manager, Maxi Mussig, also lead the casting process of the play before releasing the choices on Sept. 28.

“It was really crazy. Everyone had different characters to choose from, and six different scenes to choose. Then we had to get them in groups.” Cakebread said. “This makes it a lot different from other audition processes I did.” Along with this, some students were given the option to prepare monologues for Nepom, and were given the opportunity to do improv later in the auditions.

As stage managers and actors alike continue to prepare for the play in the upcoming rehearsals, the audience can expect a traditional twist that “Kimberly Akimbo” will inevitably bring.