Would you believe that Don Adams was back to reprise his role as Maxwell Smart in La Porte High School (LPHS)’s production of “Get Smart?” Would you believe it was Ryker Russell?
A good comedy is never something to miss. Laughter is the best medicine, and as the weather gets cold, a good guffaw is sure to keep you warm. When the Slicers decided to bring Mel Brooks and Buck Henry’s hit spy comedy to the stage, it proved to be the perfect way to close out the fall semester.
“We thought it was a good accessible script for the students to be able to learn something about culture from the 1960s It's a good comedy that we also thought that the audience would like because we're all of our students, they bring their parents and grandparents and all of the grandparents especially they grew up watching get smarter, so we thought it would be a good fun thing for them to see a live stage version of a show that they remember from their childhood.” said Director of the Performing Arts Center at LPHS Timothy Hanson.
The production sees special agent Smart – portrayed by Ryker Russell – facing off against the forces of KAOS as he attempts to thwart their plan to blow up the Statue of Liberty. As Smart finds himself in increasingly comedic situations, audiences were thrilled to see how Smart would stumble his way to victory.
“I relate to Smart a lot actually. Because he's kind of goofy. And I like to think I'm goofy, you know? And he's kind of dull. I have my dumb moments. But at the end of the day, I'm lucky I'm lucky to be here.” Said Ryker Russell
This Thursday at opening night, the crowd came out in droves to support LPHS’s theatre department. The hard work the cast and Hanson put in during the preceding months paid off seeing the beaming smiles of enraptured attendees.
Of course, getting on stage isn’t the only way that students got involved in the production. Without a crew to create sets, operate the wardrobe, and make sure everyone was ready to hit their mark, “Get Smart” would have fallen flat. Students in the crew were just as proud to see the success of opening night.
“ It's been super fun being in crew and I just like to thank everyone and congratulate them for putting on a fantastic show,” said Reagan Buchanan.
Hanson sees this performance as the first of a successful production season. With three more performances of “Get Smart” and a spring musical in the works, he’s excited to see how his performers grow.
“They had a hard time just getting up in front of people who aren't talking. But through developing a character, they can be somebody else and maybe be less shy, especially since most of them experienced their junior high years during COVID. So they were separated from people and I think this helps them get integrated more into public life.” said Hanson.
Opening night is just the beginning for LPHS’s run of “Get Smart.” Catch it tomorrow night at 7 p.m. or attend the earlier shows happening on Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at the door or online here.