“Quest” an ambitious play with huge cast

CABOT – The Cabot Community Theatre gave five stagings of a very ambitious play last week at the Cabot School Performing Arts Center, divided into two acts with five scenes in the first half and four scenes in the second half, involving a huge cast of four dozen children and adults.

“Quest! One Play to Rule Them All,” has the basic plot of various characters attempting to go on a journey to free the Hero of Legend from a curse by sorcerers that had paralyzed them. The fate of the world depends on freeing the hero. Each of the sections was written by a separate author, presumably a cooperative undertaking of students. 

Mary Rogerson, as Bowendir, started off the Introduction, with Ruthie Podolin as the scribe. The heroes were presented, which included Macks Frisby, Amara Hansen, Lucas Vitale and Liam Waugh, while the sorcerers were Erin Barry, Rue Jacobs and Henry Torres. Thus setting the overall situation, Bowendir called for volunteers to make the quest. The first scene was called “The Wizards of Northwick,” with Gwenyth Pare as Dennisovan, Reagan Rich as Sharondo and Rue Jacobson as The Wind. They had a magic globe which they hoped would guide them through dangerous places, but they ended up arguing about the globe being faulty, and they were chased away by the Montage Players: Enid Hammond, Fern Hammond, Rue Jacobs and Moirah Usinowicz. 

The Three Thieves was the second scene, acted by Spencer Vitale as Jamie, Elizabeth Vitale as Cassia and Lucas Vitale as Micah. They were confronted with a very difficult choice: three cups, of which two contained poison, while the safe cup would give the person who chose it access to a treasure. Two of the thieves drank the wrong cups and died. The remaining thief returned to the original group and reported what happened, but without fulfilling the quest.

The third scene was the Power of the Elves, featuring Lucas Hadik as Lemondil, Alice Hannan as Grundy, Ellen Cairns as Mystelon and Moirah Usinowicz as the Talking Bird. Additional birds were played by Ariella Helfand, Ellie Otto, Penelope Otto and Lucille Sewake. The birds got busy eating berries, some picking on one of the elves. Their arguing ended that quest in failure. 

The Law of the Instrument had Thomas Donbarin in the amusing role of Gorgondolous, a clumsy troll with a large war hammer. Luna Dunbar as Haruspex entered and somehow transformed him from an aggressive oaf to a harmless singing troubadour. Villagers in the scene were Ariabella Clayton, Ty Dunbar and Katherin McIntyre. Once again, the quest was unsuccessful. 

Scene five was Cosplay, set strangely in New Jersey with Cora McIntrye as Auroro, Coraline Brooking Metcalf as Loreth, Ariella Halfand as Danwyn, Izzy Hatch as an Air Dance, Ellen Cairns as a Car Salesperson, Clare Watermana as a Crossing Guard, Silas Irwin as Skater Boi, Macks Frisby as Skater Grrl and Orion Vitale as a Cashier. The first three seem to be lost despite having a map. They encountered the others in succession and took pictures of themselves with the skateboarders using their cell phones, ending up at a pizza place, the quest abandoned. 

Following the intermission, the play continued with a shift of the character Bowendir to Karen Mueller-Harder and the Scribe to Elfi Goldenrose. The sixth scene was The Heroes Journey to Group Therapy, something of a satire on that kind of psychoanalysis. Darren Usinowicz portrayed Herlemachus, a warrior much given to repeating his heroic deeds and the quasi-immortal son of the highest of all the gods, Xephus, a role taken by Sean McIntyre. Others in the therapy group, Erin Barry as Dr. Munson, Macks Frisby as Joy, Henry Torres as Darby and Liam Waugh as Topper, tried to help the warrior with his father problem. The results were humorous, but a complete distraction from the guest. 

“Huzzah for Three Wishes”, scene seven, cast Molly Paire as Rhianon, Katy Kowalk as Lundwina, Amara Hansen as Natalie, Henry Torres as Anthony, Izzy Hatch as Genie and Tristan Dill as a Dragon. They were confronted with the classic conundrum of being offered three wishes, but things are upset by the roar of a dragon and his appearance. 

Scene eight was “Possessed” with Tommy Brink as Crudilus, the stiffly awkward thug who brags about killing people and pushes two over a cliff offstage. Others in this part were Simone Kulsick as Veritas, Jessica Della Pepa-Clayton as Fortimar, Fern Hammon as Arcumitla and Ariabella Clayton as a Witch. 

The ninth scene, “Most Special Child”, involved a very young girl, Kyle, played by Althaea Irwin, who becomes The Chosen One to save the world after all the previous people have failed, each with their own excuses. She was given protection by the Mystery Woman, Luciana Abare-Rossi and the Stranger-Ranger LaShelle Easton, but even she cannot win in her quest. Nora Rader as a Witch and Enid Hammon as a Dragon were in this section as well. 

Back with the initial group there seems to be no one left to pursue a journey to free the Heroes, but then the Scribe, Eli Goldenrose, suggests they all go together on the quest to defeat the evil sorceress.

Clare Waterman was the head director, Jesse Clayton the co-direction, Karen Mueller-Harder the producer, Jessica Della Peppa Clayton the costume designer along with Elizabeth Vitale for coordination and Molly Paire as the scenic painter. Many others were involved in this play, unfortunately too numerous to mention. 

“Quest!” Was certainly a great example of genuine community, involving whole families as can be noticed in the cast list. All the actors and actresses showed a lot of promising dramatic talent and hopefully this experience will give everyone a life-long love of the excitement of live theater.