To give back to Souderton’s theater program, 2019 alumna Katherine Stoneback brings her very own original play, “Where There’s a Will, There’s a Murder,” to the high school for current students to perform on November 2-4.
After graduating from Souderton, Stoneback enrolled in Geneva College, majoring in Spanish and English.
While in college, Stoneback wrote the play “Where There’s a Will, There’s a Murder.”
“The story is there’s an older lady who dies and all of her relatives are at the house,” fall play director Lori Maxwell said. “The lawyer reads the will and there’s one person who’s not very happy about things and they end up getting murdered.”
Stoneback participated in Souderton’s theater arts program throughout all four years of high school.
“I did the musical every year, but I was only ever in the play my last year,” Stoneback said.
Stoneback’s motivation for bringing her work to Souderton stems from Souderton’s program and the people who made it great for her, specifically for Maxwell.
According to Stoneback, it can be difficult to find a play with multiple roles for all students to play.
“I knew that [Maxwell] struggles to find plays that can fit so many people so I thought I could write one of those,” Stoneback said. “It’s kind of written for the high school.”
Since Stoneback’s work is made for Souderton’s cast, Maxwell had no problem at all filling roles this year.
“I think that all the parts are pretty even. There’s 18 characters and I think they all have a decent amount of lines” said Maxwell.
When it comes to the cast itself, both Maxwell and Stoneback are pleased with the results of casting.
“I’m very happy, I was involved in the casting process this year. Now that I’ve seen them in their roles I’m really happy about how it’s coming together,” said Stoneback.
Stoneback’s “Where There’s a Will, There’s a Murder” is being performed live for the first time at Souderton.
“I think it will be cool for the cast because if [Stonebeck] publishes this, we are the world premiere of the play. I don’t think we’ve ever done something that’s been an original play,” said Maxwell.
Sophomore Kayla Feirle, who is in the play, hopes the play will be successful.
“I do hope it’s really successful because I know [Stonebeck] has worked really hard on it and I really like the show myself,” said Feirle. “Not only do I hope this becomes a really notable show for Souderton, but also for all around.”
The night of the play is going to be a night of art for Souderton where multiple groups will perform.
“Our hope is that we were trying to make it a celebration of student art,” said Maxwell.
Stoneback is passionate about playwriting and theater itself.
“I really enjoyed being on stage and watching it come together,” Stoneback said. “I thought it was so cool how all the costumes and acting come together and then in college I never stopped writing.”
Stoneback is aspiring to take her writing further, but has put her long-term career on hold to bring her work to Souderton.
“I’d like to be at every rehearsal but I can’t because I work in the evening, so I have to squish it around my work schedule,” Stoneback said, “I work after hours while looking for a full time writing job.”
