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Sage Hill Thespians Lampoon Stage Life in ‘Noises Off’
What happens when the show goes off the rails?
Sage Hill’s theater program explored this farcical snafu in its fall play, “Noises Off,” running November 6 through November 8 in the Kazu Fukuda Black Box Theater.
Students figuratively pulled back the curtain, allowing audience members to see how a struggling theatre troupe stumbles through their show in the hilarious, non-stop comedy by Michael Frayn.
“It’s very typical of how [theater] goes,” said cast member Lauren Stoney ’26. “You don't know what's going to happen next because things can go wrong with the actors, but it looks like it's part of the play.”
Lauren said she was challenged by her casting as Susan, an actor with decades of experience but who is rather unreliable. Pretending to forget lines while displaying a big ego were just a few of the character flaws she enjoyed portraying in “Noises Off.”
Mia Ciuni ’26 takes on the role of Brooke, a vain actor who struggles to improv but also grows throughout the play. Not unlike her character, Mia finds collaboration is a central theme of stage life.
“I learned that it’s important to be part of a cast because if something goes wrong you can’t just be focused on yourself,” she said. “You need to be an ensemble as a whole.”
Theatre Program Director Mary Kildare described “Noises Off” as a masterclass in comedic timing, showcasing the contrast between professionalism onstage and the personal dramas, fragile egos and professional struggles of the actors offstage.
“I felt ‘Noises Off’ was the perfect play for this school year for a few reasons,” Kildare said. “Overall, given our world and everything that's going on -- no matter who you are -- I wanted to choose something that really showcased and highlighted the spirit of ‘keep calm and carry on. Focusing on a good farce this year felt like the way to go.’”
Kildare is particularly excited to watch several new students step into leading roles for “Noises Off.”
They’ve taken theatre classes for the past few years but haven’t starred in a school production, she said.
They’ve taken theatre classes for the past few years but haven’t starred in a school production, she said.
“This is one of the most intelligent casts I've worked with,” she said. “They are instinctually right on as actors. It's a very ensemble show, and they've taken great care of each other.”
Reflecting on their years in the theatre program, Lauren and Mia both highlighted the community that welcomes all newcomers and the long-lasting friendships they’ve developed on and off stage.
“As a freshman, I did not have public speaking skills, and now I'm more outgoing,” Lauren said. “I think theater really helps students explore [themselves] as a person and you have a community you can always fall back into.”
Sage Hill School
A college preparatory independent day school for grades 7-12.
20402 Newport Coast Drive, Newport Coast, CA 92657
Phone: 949.219.0100 | Fax: 949.219.1399
20402 Newport Coast Drive, Newport Coast, CA 92657
Phone: 949.219.0100 | Fax: 949.219.1399
Sage Hill School admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the School. The School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship programs, and athletic and other School administered programs.