History buffs and history dropouts alike will find satisfaction in Chesapeake High School’s production of “Night at the Wax Museum”. Boundaries of time and location were broken in the basement of a small-town museum. The eccentric characters and unique plot mold together to create a show not soon forgotten.

Similar to the 2006 comedy, “Night at the Museum”, this play introduced the audience to an array of diverse historical figures. Following four students and their experience at summer school, the story begins by unearthing realistic models of royals, pirates, cowgirls, and an American president. With the help of a magical amulet, these characters come to life and have the opportunity to retell their stories. Based on the book by Craig Sodaro, this obscure play was well performed by Chesapeake High School.

While the plot itself was peculiar, the actors did a satisfactory job of portraying the characters and telling the story intended by Craig Sodaro. The students of Chesapeake had impressive chemistry as a cast and the production ran smoothly with a minimal number of glitches. Overall, the cast gave a talented performance of this comedic play.

While it was difficult to differentiate between lead and supporting roles, some specified characters stood out. Among them was Alexis Andrew in the role of Heather Fairchild. She fit the role of an encouraging teacher and was able to double as one half of a rekindled romance. Laura Fisk as Ethel Lockhead did an outstanding job! Portraying an old woman, she was able to create an accurate character voice without any of her lines being lost. She offered comedic relief throughout the entirety of the show and left the audience laughing even after the close of the curtain.

Timothy Edwards, portraying Rolf Rizzo, did a wonderful job with his character. The coquettish and conceited boy was perfectly delivered through Edwards’ performance. Samantha Caulkins’ oblivious character of Polly Sneed was just as well delivered as Edwards’. Sam Taylor as Skip Webster did a convincing job with his character of love struck handyman. Bryan Sachs in the role of King Henry VIII was royally delightful on stage. Cameron Wolfe as Blackbeard had wonderful stage presence and his staggering movement was persuasive. Madeleine Gray never once broke character and kept the energy of Calamity Jane high from start to finish.

The costumes for this cast were very impressive. Each one included character and detail specific to the actor. Sets were also memorable. They were accessible to the actors, filled the space of the stage appropriately, and showcased the talent of the students who built them.

At the close of the curtain, the plot leaves the wondering “Did that just really happen?” but at the same time they are glad they were there to enjoy the experience. This show has a fun energy with bits of thrill entwined. It will give all those who were touched by it a brief suspension of reality and the desire to reopen their history books.

by Megan Senio of Spectrum Christian