"Read all about it!"

Reported in the Register-News, Bordentown, NJ, June 27, 2007

"Faculty Room" takes a look inside the teachers' lounge

by STEPHANIE PROKOS, Staff Writer

BORDENTOWN CITY - The cast of "The Faculty Room", which opens this weekend, is determined to show what could happen when teachers stop being polite and start being honest about their students and fellow staff members.

The original two-act comedy, put on by Project Comma Mom Productions, is the story of a group of students who are desperate to stop the faculty from changing the school's name from Michael the Archangel High School. The proposed new name of the school will be revealed at the play.

Wanting desperately to hold on to their school's identity, the students concoct an elaborate 21st century-style plan by "bugging" the faculty room so that they can hear what is going on.

Hilarity ensues when the four teachers and the vice principal accidentally get locked into the room, and the students get a "real" glimpse into what things are discussed in the faculty lounge.

Playwrights Connie Wilder-Wokoun and Ken Britschge said they wanted to portray something that was fictional, but with a realistic twist.

"The kids in the play are very bright, and they use their cell phones and laptop computers to bug the faculty room, and it's something that is real enough that could happen" said Ms. Wilder-Wokoun.

Even though the two-act play is not considered a musical, there is a school theme song that is played several times in the production.

The 12 high school students who appear in the show are from all around the area, and  have been rehearsing in Riverview Studios, located by the Delaware River waterfront, accessible from Farnsworth Avenue.

The play was cast around March, and the producers did have some difficulty casting young men in the roles.

"Guys are at a premium", said Ms. Wilder-Wokoun.

The group of young actors and actresses associated themselves with the Project Comma Mom Productions name last year because they put on a play called "Project Mom" that was right around the Mother's Day holiday and involved a motherhood theme.

The premise of the show last year was that editors were reading through a set of letters submitted in an essay contest talking about various mother-daughter stories.

Ms. Wilder-Wokoun said that the play got such positive feedback from the community that they are looking to do another play just like it for next Mother's Day.

"It's nice to work with younger people and see that there are such high school-aged students that are interested in doing something positive for the community," she said.

Play performances will be held on Friday 7:30 p.m., Saturday at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m., and Sunday at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. at the Riverview Studio. The studio can be reached by following Farnsworth Avenue at the Delaware River waterfront.

Tickets are $10, and can be bought by calling (609)298-4456 (ask for Mak), or by e-mailing a reservation to projectmom@hotmail.com.

Click on the hands for audience comments.