Procrastination inspires comedic play, ‘How to Kill a Mockingbird,’ at Pioneer

Pioneer Valley Regional School students rehearse a scene from “How to Kill a Mockingbird” on Wednesday.

Pioneer Valley Regional School students rehearse a scene from “How to Kill a Mockingbird” on Wednesday. STAFF PHOTO/PAUL FRANZ

Pioneer Valley Regional School students Oliver Heydenreich as Dusty and Raven Singh as Jamie rehearse a scene from “How to Kill a Mockingbird” on Wednesday.

Pioneer Valley Regional School students Oliver Heydenreich as Dusty and Raven Singh as Jamie rehearse a scene from “How to Kill a Mockingbird” on Wednesday. STAFF PHOTO/PAUL FRANZ

Pioneer Valley Regional School student Oliver Heydenreich as Dusty rehearses a scene from “How to Kill a Mockingbird” on Wednesday.

Pioneer Valley Regional School student Oliver Heydenreich as Dusty rehearses a scene from “How to Kill a Mockingbird” on Wednesday. STAFF PHOTO/PAUL FRANZ

Pioneer Valley Regional School students rehearse a scene from “How to Kill a Mockingbird” on Wednesday.

Pioneer Valley Regional School students rehearse a scene from “How to Kill a Mockingbird” on Wednesday. STAFF PHOTO/PAUL FRANZ

By MARY BYRNE

Staff Writer

Published: 11-15-2023 6:33 PM

NORTHFIELD — With its fall production, Pioneer Valley Regional School will poke a little fun at students’ propensity for procrastination.

The play, “How to Kill a Mockingbird,” tells the story of five students who are working together on a school project without any knowledge of the book they’re supposed to have read, “To Kill a Mockingbird.” The 10-person production will be performed at 7 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 17, and Saturday, Nov. 18.

“We thought it would be a funny show to do,” said Director Brian Campbell. “It’s kind of making fun of the way students can procrastinate sometimes, and [it was] something they could have a lot of fun with.”

Echoing Campbell, student Oliver Heydenreich, who plays Dusty in “How to Kill a Mockingbird,” said they liked the play because it was funny. In keeping with the theme of the play, they haven’t read the book “To Kill a Mockingbird,” but said maybe they will now after this show, the second one they have been in at Pioneer after “Zombie Prom.”

Past productions by Pioneer students include “Cinderella” and “Into the Woods.” The school typically does a non-musical show in the fall and a musical in the spring, explained Campbell, who has served as director for the last three to four years.

Tickets, which can be purchased at the door, cost $5 for adults and $3 for students and seniors.

Reporter Mary Byrne can be reached at mbyrne@recorder.com or 413-930-4429. Twitter: @MaryEByrne. Photographer Paul Franz contributed to this article.

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