The Hartland High School Drama Club presents the musical “Honk!” Friday through Sunday, April 22-24, and April 29-May 1, at Hartland High School (HHS), 10635 Dunham Road in Hartland. Showtimes are Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, April 24, at 1:30 p.m.; and Sunday, May 1, at 2:30 p.m.
Tickets are available online at www.hartlanddramaclub.com and at the door. Individual tickets purchased in advance are $16 for adults and $14 for students, children and seniors. Tickets purchased at the door are $18 for adults and $16 for students, children and seniors. Group rates are also available.
Until opening night, we are featuring one of the cast members of this production. Today, we feature Avery Shrier.
Knowing how to sew made Avery Shrier a natural fit for Hartland Drama Club’s costume crew. However, her role as head of this crew during the club’s production of its upcoming musical, “Honk!,” has allowed her to gain leadership and problem-solving skills while she makes the most of her creativity.
Along with her fellow crew members, the Hartland High School senior has worked to enhance the visual appeal of each of the characters of “Honk!” and communicate their unique traits to the audience.
We asked Shrier about her experience with the costume crew for the family friendly musical comedy.
How has your participation in Hartland Drama Club impacted your high school experience?
Drama Club and costume crew, specifically, have impacted my high school experience a lot. I’ve been able to build so many skills and had the opportunity to make new friends. Being costume lead this year has been a lot of fun and has given me the experience of being in a leadership role. Without Drama Club I wouldn’t have had the chance to make many of the friends I have, and my high school years would’ve looked much different.
What challenges did you encounter when preparing for your crew’s goals? How did you overcome them?
Because it has been two years since we have done a musical, there has been a lot of learning and rebuilding that we have had to do. I was only on costume crew for one full show before the pandemic, and we had almost all new crew members and parents. We’ve learned a lot this year and have worked very hard to get things up and running smoothly again.
What skills have you acquired or sharpened while leading your crew for this show?
I joined the costume crew because I knew how to sew and enjoyed creating costumes. However, being costume lead this year has given me the opportunity to build many other skills, including leadership, organization, planning and design, and problem solving. We have over 100 costumes for “Honk!” and coordinating a production of this size is not something I have had experience with before.
Did the pandemic affect your appreciation of the arts? How so?
The pandemic has shown me how much I love being involved in the arts and how much I want to continue to be involved. I have gained a lot more of an appreciation of them because I wasn’t able to participate for two years. It really showed me that I enjoy it much more than I had thought.
How does your crew help to tell the story of the characters in this production?
Through each character’s costume, the audience can get a better understanding of the character’s personality and their role in the play. The costumes for this show were intentionally chosen to represent the animals, versus actually using animal costumes, as they tell the story.
What is your theater background? Did you get involved as a child, or is it more of a recent pursuit?
I first became involved in theater in 7th grade with Encore Youth Theater, where I acted until 9th grade. At that point, I switched over to costume crew at the high school.
What are your college plans and hopes for your future?
I plan to attend Michigan State University, where I’ve been accepted to Lyman Briggs College to focus on a career in STEM, and I hope to continue to participate in theater for as long as I can.
