Akins Journey Theatre puts on Booby Trap for UIL
One act brought tears to audience eyes, performance leaves mark on students
The Lieutenant, played by Maritza Rameriz, solutes Peter Galen, played by Ethan Cannon, as she leaves him to escape the harsh weather heading their way in the play Booby Trap.
April 15, 2016
Sitting on a mine and knowing that you could die if you move even an inch is the main dilemma of the this year’s UIL play Booby Trap.
On March 22 Akins Journey Theatre performed their UIL show Booby Trap at the Performing Arts Center.
This year was the first year that Burgandy Trimmer had directed a UIL show for competition and even though they did not advance it is strongly felt throughout the cast and crew that the performance was unforgettable.
“I thought it was a very compelling story that we could do and I felt like we had the talent and I had connections with the author who was my old theatre teacher,” Trimmer said.
AJT performed for contest on the March 22 and also performed it the next day as part of an evening performance. Some lucky students also saw it on campus during 4th Period that week.
“I’m really excited and a little nervous,” Trimmer said. “We casted the show before winter break and we have been rehearsing till 7:00 everyday and I’m really excited to put it up.”
Technical director Erica Vallejo said the play has a special significance to her because her brother was killed in Iraq in 2008.
“I think it’s a great play that shines on our military men and women,” Vallejo said. “It has a very personal meaning to me, considering that my brother was killed in the war, so it has a very special place in my heart and I think there are people who can relate to this.”
For Vallejo what made this show different than past shows were the new faces and the talent that they possessed.
Akins competed against Lake Travis, Austin, Bowie, and Hays high schools.
“I feel that we went out there and we tried our best. We went up against tough competition and our entire cast and crew was amazing,” Vallejo said.
The show is about a soldier who accidentally sits on a land mine. As he waits for help from his fellow soldiers, he reflects on his past, and worries about the future of his family.
“I think it’s a great show because we put in a lot of hard work into it,” junior Ethan Cannon said.
Cannon plays Pete Galen, the protagonist of the show. Throughout the performance Cannon sits on a stump and con- tinually has flashbacks and flash forwards.
“There are different levels of emotions running through the whole thing,” Cannon said. “You get anywhere from fear and anger and sadness and joyful, it’s like every emotion you could think of in one character.”
Compared to last year’s UIL performance, the cast and crew felt more prepared.
“Everyone is doing great we’re all focused and I feel that we are closer than ever,” Cannon said.
Senior Tyra Williams plays Pete’s wife Caitlin in the show. Williams found that it was really fun and competitive and appreci- ates the hard work that everyone has put into the show.
“We do run into a few bumps sometimes, but we always get through them and no one really takes the critiques we get as personal attacks,” Williams said. “Rather we understand that it is not them criticizing us as a person but just out acting or tech skills.”
AJT came home with three awards; Cannon was awarded the All Star Cast award, Williams was bestowed with the Honorable Mention All Star Cast award and Jose Salazar was presented with the Outstanding Technician award.
“Everyone is doing an awesome job, they work so hard and put in a lot of effort to everything,” Williams said.
Although the Akins theatre department did not advance this year, the cast, crew and directors were proud of what they accomplished.
“I think how we do comes down to how everyone performs, but whatever the outcome I’m really proud of our kids,” Trimmer said.
