Zach Guikema

Name: Zach Guikema

Grade: 10

Role: Ezekiel Cheever

1. What part of being in the play makes you the most nervous?

“I’d say just dropping a line is one of the most nerve-racking things. You never know when someone is going to drop a line, and you have to just improvise which can be tricky.”

2. How important is the crew to the success of the play?

“The crew is really important. They get everything set up for us, they make sure all of our mics are working, and they make sure everything is going to sound great and look great for the audience.”

3. Who is the funniest person on the cast and why?

“You know, I could say myself, but I would be lying. Everyone on the cast is great, I don’t want to just single out one. Everyone is supportive and fun to be around, and that is a big reason why I am in this play.”

4. What is the most challenging part of playing your role?

“Always being in the moment. We are in the courtroom a lot for this play, so you have to stay engaged and act like everything you are hearing is being said for the first time so that you’re acting in the best, most realistic way possible.”

5. What can the audience expect when they go to the play?

“They can expect lots of yelling, death threats, and just lots of good stuff. It is going to be edge-of-your-seat craziness, lots of fun lines, lots of crazy relationships, and you just get to see your friends or family up on stage doing what they love.”

6. What emotions do you think you’ll feel on opening night as the curtain opens?

“There’s always that nervousness at the beginning of a performance, but then once it all starts,  you just continue to grow confidence through each scene. That’s part of what makes the end of a show so much better: everyone has gained all of their confidence and is putting on their best show.”

7. How does Mrs. DeMeester get the best out of you and the entire cast?

“[Mrs. Demeester] really just pushes us to our best. She always wants greatness. She always says ‘if you’re not going to be great, then the show isn’t going to be great.’ She motivates us to always put our best foot forward, be prepared, and just put on the best show that we can so that the play will be the best it can be.”