I was skeptical when I first heard that DHS Drama was putting on Gore Vidal’s The Best Man. I was concerned, for instance, that certain topics or opinions would conflict with the election itself. However, after seeing it, I was thoroughly impressed. The quality of the play was astounding, and the actors were even better. The production ran November 8th to 9th, just a few days after Election Day, and follows two men as they fight for the presidency. 

 What I first observed was the setting. The play takes place in 1960s Philadelphia in each of the candidate’s hotel rooms, which is in fact the only setting used throughout the play. This feature of the production was really remarkable, considering that it is quite challenging to build a story from such a small amount of scenery. In addition to the scenery, the quality of the set amazed me. One thing that I noticed was that some of the actors were drinking onstage; they had authentic bottles of various drinks that they would pour and sip. This added to the quality and legitimacy of the set altogether.

The play’s set wasn’t its only attraction, though: it’s hard to have a good performance without incredible actors, and the acting in The Best Man was truly amazing. The play consisted of 25 cast members. The acting was humorous, witty, and fun, or, in scenes that were serious and bleak, earnest and heartfelt. In fact, audience members often found themselves cracking up in one scene, only to feel emotional and moved in the next. A creative way the actors were used was making them reporters, following the candidates to their rooms in a few scenes. This, I noticed, added humor and smooth transitions to the comedy. Many of the actors, too, were not only in The Best Man, but also the DHS showcase just the day before, illustrating the versatility of the actors.

Another important part of the play was the stage crew. The production was smooth and the transitions between scenes were remarkably seamless. Once the production started, I noticed the lighting and fog effects, which added a lot of life to the entire scene. The music, as well as the quality of the audio, was amazing. 

However, I think my favorite aspects of the whole experience were the costumes and props. The clothing designs were elegant and representative of the time period. Moreover, when paired with the quick wardrobe changes, these clothing details were evident.

DHS Drama was also selling a few goodies outside the DHS Performing Arts Center, such as pins and candy. The pins had funny quotes or scenes from the movie, and there were also promotional pins for each of the candidates. I thought this was a creative  way to add character to the play. There was also a raffle, featuring two autumn gift baskets, as well as bags of sweet treats. 

Altogether, The Best Man was a wonderful performance, and each aspect of it was frankly amazing. I enjoyed every minute of this quality production and am excited to see more from the drama department in the spring. If you could not make it to the play or want to see more from the Dublin High’s drama team, check out the DHS Drama channel.