by Ezabelle Janssen, Staff Writer

PASS CHRISTIAN (GG) — From July 31st to August 2nd, the Pass Christian Randolph Center was filled with merry men. Robin Hood’s merry men, of course! Theater in the Pass optimistically presented Robin Hood, their first-ever teen production, written by Tim Kelly and directed by Paige Ladner.

Director Ladner also starred as the protagonist’s love interest, Maid Marian, the apple of Robin Hood’s eye. Rising star Jimmy Chilimigras played the beloved Robin Hood. A fantastic display by first-time actor Chilimigras, no one would believe that he was such a rookie in the acting world. 

Pass Christian High School student, actress, and director, Paige Ladner, has been in seven productions and helped co-direct many of them. An enthusiastic young woman passionate about Theater in the Pass, here is what she had to say about their production of Robin Hood:

  • [“I saw that you directed the play, and you starred in it. What was it like to juggle directing and acting?]  Ladner:  “Well, it was a bit of a struggle, but I had an amazing team and an amazing cast on my side. So they helped me with whatever struggles I needed to, and there was just always a support system. So it was always great.”
  • [What are some of your future plans in the realm of theater?] Ladner:  “I am hoping to continue with Theater in the Pass and get a teen program started. We’re hoping to get more teens involved.”
  • [How do you feel about this play?] Ladner:  “I think tonight was absolutely amazing. I think it was a great audience. It was a great cast and it was a great show.”
  • [How much work went into building play?]  Ladner:  “Oh, my gosh. So normally we have about 10 weeks to do the play, but we only had five weeks to do this. So the cast was really flexible and amazing and pulled it all together. We had amazing people help with our set and setting the stage and the props, and it was just really amazing.” 

This group of teens proved to be truly remarkable with the high-quality performance they cultivated in barely over a month. 

It was an immersive experience from start to finish, welcoming the crowd as “citizens of Nottingham” and actors running through the crowd. Where the play may have lacked in scene design complexity, it excelled in individual technicality, for it was quite the physical play, holding no bounds with a plethora of stage combat; however, this simple set design allowed for various actor entrances, captivating the audience’s eyes. 

The production stayed true to the comical yet poignant themes, as a child quite literally held her tongue when asked, inciting laughter all around, and of course, the vigilante moral of stealing from the rich to give to the poor, catalyzed by classist characters and inflation. The Randolph Center was a full house. Attendees left with rave reviews. 

Stay tuned as Theater in the Pass plans to expand its teen program.