Hicksville High School Repertory Company presented “Mother Hicks” by Suzan Zeder at the Charles “Chuck” Arnold Theater with three performances on Nov. 17 and 18. One of the main characters, a deaf boy named Tuc, helps to narrate the story is played by Hicksville junior John Ryan Chaplin who signs his dialogue while other actors on stage speak the words.
The haunting storyline, richly realized through all of the resources of theatre including poetry, character and story featured 11 cast members and a backstage crew of 29 students. The setting of the play includes various locations in and around Ware, Illinois, in the late spring of 1935 during the Great Depression. “Mother Hicks” is about three outsiders—an orphan girl known only as Girl; a deaf boy, eloquent in the language of his silence; and an eccentric recluse, Mother Hicks, who is suspected of being a witch. The tale, told with poetry and sign language, chronicles the journeys of these three to find themselves, and each other, in a troubled time.
Hicksville English/Theatre Teacher and Director Caitlin Cassidy said, “I am so proud of these student performers. Everyone involved worked very hard to ensure the success of this production.” She continued, “the dedication and commitment levels were evident with each performance.”
