Drama Queens emulate the ’50s and ’60s in comedy performance

Drama+Queens+women+in+50s+comedy+performance+with+special+guest+star+Samantha+Coyne.+From+right+to+left%3A+Sara+Friedman+18%2C+Jayla+Brown+18%2C+Harley+Smith+17%2C+Uma+Halsted+18%2C+and+Ms.+Coyne.

Photo credit: Nelly Rouzroch

Drama Queens women in ’50s comedy performance with special guest star Samantha Coyne. From right to left: Sara Friedman ’18, Jayla Brown ’18, Harley Smith ’17, Uma Halsted ’18, and Ms. Coyne.


The advanced theatre class, better known as the Drama Queens, recently held their second comedy performance in the Blackbox Theatre during lunch on Feb. 18, where students quickly filled the seats.

The class, who were named the “Drama Queens” by Maya Winkler ’18, previously had an improv comedy performance in Jan. which packed the Blackbox Theatre with students from all grades.

The performance was focused on women in 1950s-1960s comedy.

The first scene was based off a scene from ’50s comedy entitled “Where are You Going Hollis Jay?” by Benjamin Bradford. It was directed by junior Talia Natoli and starred Helena Laan ’18 as Hollis and Bella Ronson ’17 as Ellie. Noa Diamond ’18 plays the voice inside Hollis’ head and Julianna Goldsmith ’18 plays the voice inside Ellie’s head.

Drama Queens women in 50's comedy performance. Photographer: Nelly Rouzroch '18.
The Drama Queens women star in a 1950’s comedy performance. The scene is called “Where are You Going Hollis Jay?” by Benjamin Bradford. From right to left: Helena Laan ’18, Noa Diamond ’18, Bella Ronson ’17 and Julianna Goldsmith ’18.  Photographer: Nelly Rouzroch ’18.

“It was interesting playing a teenage boy, especially in the ’50s, and to have someone in the back of my head to show how the emotions really were,” Laan said.

Laughter filled the room and the audience appeared to be enjoying themselves.

They also had a special guest performer, Upper School Director and Assistant Head of School Samantha Coyne-Donnel. She played Bonnie in another 1950’s scene called “Sealed for Freshness” by Doug Stone.

Alongside Coyne-Donnel was Harley Smith ’17 who played Jeane, Uma Halsted ’18 who portrayed Tracey Ann, Sara Friedman ’18 who played Sinclair and Jayla Brown ’18 who played Diane.

“It was so fun getting out of my comfort zone,” Brown said.

When asked about performing with Coyne-Donnel, Friedman said, “It was really interesting. I feel a lot closer to her now and it was really fun to see her in a new light.”

“I’ve always seen her as our Upper School Director and now it’s interesting to see this new side of her and to have this performing experience with her,” Friedman said.

The show closed off with a ’60s performance called “The Power and the Glory” by Le Wilhelm, which included Drama Queens Winkler and Talia Goodman ’17.