There is another day for the Mountain Lake Public High School (MLHS) one-act play, “The Middle of Yesterday.” The cast, crew and directors will be presenting an encore command performance of the Sub-Section champ and Section 2A runner-up play this Sunday, February 21, beginning at 2 p.m., in the school auditorium.
“The Middle of Yesterday,” by Ken Jones, looked inside the affect Alzheimer’s Disease has on the mind – and tries to give an answer.
Kilby Fleming, an aging ex-War hero, struggles between reality and the hauntings of his memories as he declines into the dark world of Alzheimer’s. Locked in time, Kilby is forced to view his past as the people in the present fight to bring him back.
The cast, crew and directors received a 1-1-1 ranking from the trio of judges to claim the Sub-Section 2A title on Saturday, January 30 to advanced to the Section 2A One-Act Play Contest in Jordan on February 6. At the Section 2A contest, the MLHS entry was named the Runner-Up. Named as the Sub-Section 2A representative to the Minnesota State State High School League’s (MSHSL) State One-Act Play Festival was the play from Belle Plaine, “Anatomy of Gray.” At last week’s state festival at The O’Shaughnessy on the campus of the College of St. Catherine in St. Paul, the Belle Plaine production was one of three Class A plays that received a “starred” rating from the trio of judges. Eight plays were presented on the day.
Directors of the MLHS one-act play are Julie Brugman and Crystal Fast.
Cast
+ Kilby Fleming – Sam Grev.
+ Stephen Fleming – Ethan Karschnik.
+ Nurse – Liana Blomgren.
+ Leanna Fleming – Carmen Syverson.
+ Young Stephen Fleming – Regan Syverson.
+ Lacy – Jae Faber.
+ Navy Officer – Ruben Fentanez.
Crew
+ Lights – Jareya Harder.
+ Sound – Kalley Rempel.
+ Stage Crew – Eli Karschnik, Isaac Grev, Amy Bartsch and Dawn Geertsema.
THE CAST OF the MLHS one-act play, “The Middle of Yesterday.” Front, from left, Liana Blomgren (Nurse), Sam Grev (Kilby Fleming) and Ethan Karschnik (Stephen Fleming. Back, from left, Carmen Syverson (Leanna Fleming), Ruben Fentanez (Navy Officer), Jae Faber (Lacy Fleming) and Regan Syverson (young Stephen Fleming). (Julie Brugman photo)THE CREW OF the MLHS one-act play, “The Middle of Yesterday.” Front-to-back, Jareya Harder (Light Technician), left and Kalley Rempel (Sound Technician), right; Dawn Geersema (Crew), left and Amy Bartsch (Follow Spot), right and Eli Karschnik (Crew), left and Isaac Grev (Crew), right. (Julie Brugman photo)
THE STAGE AS set for the MLHS one-act play, “The Middle of Yesterday.” At front, seated on the bed at left, Stephen Fleming (Ethan Karschnik) and in chair with guitar at right, Kilby Fleming (Sam Grev). At left front, Leanna Fleming (Carmen Syverson) and at left back, Navy Officer (Ruben Fentanez). At right front, young Stephen Fleming (Regan Syverson) and at right back, Lacy Fleming (Jae Faber).
KILBY FLEMING (seated center on bed) is a World War II Army Veteran and career Navy Officer now suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease. As he is interviewed by the nurse (Liana Blomgren), seated in chair at right, memories of his late wife Leanna Fleming (Carmen Syverson), standing left, become his reality.LACY FLEMING (JAE Faber), in a reserved moment in her role as her daddy’s (Kilby Fleming) little girl.YOUNG STEPHEN FLEMING (Regan Syverson) had a more difficult time growing up in a family with a father serving in the United States Navy, making for multiple moves, homes, schools – and absences.AS AN ADULT, Stephen Fleming (Ethan Karschnik), seated in chair at right, visits his father, Kilby Fleming (Sam Grev), seated on bed at left. In this discussion, Stephen corrects his pop that his wife’s name is “Maggie,” and not “Susie.” He tells his pop that he remember that, and not call his wife by one of his old girlfriends’ names, to which Kilby replies, “You didn’t have that many.”REFLECTING ON A happy memory from the past, Stephen Fleming (Ethan Karschnik), left and his pop, Kilby Fleming (Sam Grev), right, recall how they went out for barbecues after repairing a car for a friend, and that the sandwiches they ate were “piled high to the sky.”ON ANOTHER VISIT, Stephen brings his pop, Kilby Fleming (Sam Grev) the special wooden box he had requested.IN A SCENE playing live only in his mind, Kilby Fleming (Sam Grev), seated on bed, right, believes he is giving the small wooden box to his late wife, Leanna Fleming (Carmen Syverson), standing left, when in reality is handing it to his nurse (Liana Blomgren), center.INSIDE THE SMALL wooden box – from a time of long-ago yesterday – but happening as real as today for Kilby – Leanna Fleming (Carmen Syverson) discovers an engagement ring tucked inside.WHEN WHAT MEMORIES that Kilby Fleming (Sam Grev), in bed at right, is re-playing in his mind make him upset, he is given an injection to calm him by nurse (Liana Blomgren), left.AFTER KILBY IS injured in a blast aboard ship, his wife, Leanna; son, Stephen and daughter, Lacy, drive across country from San Diego to North Carolina in order to be close to him. En route, the three are in a car accident. At left is daughter, Lacy Fleming (Jae Faber) and at right is son, Stephen Fleming (Regan Syverson).KILBY FLEMING (SAM Grev), center, relives moments from his past as he sees them inside his mind as if they were happening today. In this scene, he recalls the times he would spend with his daughter, Lacy, comforting her and sharing stories. At left, Leanna Fleming (Carmen Syverson), front and Naval Officer (Ruben Fentanez), back. At right, Lacy Fleming (Jae Faber), left and young Stephen Fleming (Regan Syverson), right. (Julie Brugman photo)AND DAUGHTER LACY (Jae Faber) is killed.KILBY’S WIFE, LEANNA Fleming (Carmen Syverson) is overcome with grief and guilt, blaming herself for her daughter’s death.KILBY FLEMING, AS a Navy Officer (Ruben Fentanez) shares that it is his duty to go where he is sent – despite missing his family. “Always a soldier!” is the drill.From this valley they say you are leaving We shall miss your bright eyes and sweet smile For you take with you all of the sunshine That has brightened our pathway a while. The words from the song, “Red River Valley” soothe Kilby Fleming (Sam Grev).KILBY FLEMING (SAM Grev) finds his Navy dress uniform, which he requested Stephen to bring to the nursing home so that it is there to wear when he is buried after he dies.BELIEVING HE NEEDED to get into his uniform, Kilby Fleming (Sam Grev), attempts to put it on, while it is still inside the plastic bag. Kilby struggles, and eventually, dies due to suffocation.AS KILBY FLEMING (Sam Grev) center, is in his final moments, the images from his past tap out his slowing heartbeats, driving home the instincts drilled into Kilby, and that also torn him apart – “To duty.” “To family.” Until those beats stop and Kilby is released from the prison in his mind. At left, Leanna Fleming (Carmen Syverson), front and Navy Officer (Ruben Fentanez), right. At right, young Stephen Fleming (Regan Syverson), front and Lacy Fleming (Jae Faber), right. (Julie Brugman photoFINDING THE SMALL wooden box in his father’s belongings in the nursing home after he had passed away, Stephen Fleming (Ethan Karschnik) finally realizes that his father – although often distant in miles away from home – truly loved them all. In that moment, Stephen accepts his father’s forgiveness for being away from his family as much as he was and for the family having to make the trek across the country to see him, the trip during which Lacy was killed. He also notes that, despite his father’s dive into Alzheimer’s Disease, important dates remained poignant in his memory – the date he and Leanna were married, the date Leanna passed away – and the day Lacy was killed in the auto accident.
