by Sara Planck

An in-depth interview with Burke High School Senior, Ben Adams.

When did you start writing this show and how did you get the idea?
I started writing ‘Princesses Anonymous’ the summer going into my eighth grade year. At the time, I just wanted to write a simple 5 scene one-act for my Drama Class, taught by Tony Schik, at Beveridge Magnet Middle School and the first script consisted of three vignettes. I gave the script to Mr. Schik, who said I needed to develop the overall concept of the show. It took a while, but I decided the theme of the show was Censorship. From there, I collaborated with Mr. Schik, and developed the plot to focus on a group of five strong Royal ladies who meet in a Princesses Anonymous meeting to discuss their lives which are being censored, by who they believe is Walt Disney. I was heavily inspired by the comedic routines of Monty Python, and their over the top, quick, witty humor. Along with this, I loved the idea of an ensemble playing numerous roles which was implemented  into the ‘Princesses Anonymous’ script. I also loved the idea of a satire, which in my opinion is very underused. I thought by blending the comedy of a piece with the feeling and writing style of a satire, it would not only create an enjoyable experience for the audience, but also give the show more depth and make the audience think about how censorship plays a role in their own lives.

How did you get Mrs. Mokrycki on board to do the show? 

The one-act version of my play was performed at Beveridge in 2012. Mrs. Mokrycki was in the audience on opening night.  She came up to me and said how much she enjoyed the show.

At the end of my Freshman year, I was thinking ‘Princesses Anonymous’ could be the special event for my senior year as Burke  High School tries to do one every year whether it is a student directed, or world premiere, of a play. With this in mind,  and not really sure how well this idea would go over, I asked Mrs. Mockrycki and said “yes”. I was thrilled.

I  re-edited the script and added a second act the Spring of my junior year. 4 drafts later, it was April 2015 and the due date had arrived.  It was put in as the opening show for Burke High School’s 2015-2016 Drama Season.

When will this be produced?
‘Princesses Anonymous’ is running October 15-17 at Burke High School: 12200 Burke Blvd. Shows begin at 7pm. Tickets are 5$ for students and 7$ for adults. Call 402-557-3238 to reserve tickets. All tickets are General Admission.  Also, bring spare change to give to Nebraska Thespian Scholarship Fundraiser.