Oswego High School Drama Club will present Maxwell Anderson’s “Bad Seed” at the Oswego High School Robinson-Faust Theatre of the Performing Arts on October 28 at 7:30 PM and October 30 at 2:00 p.m.
Based on the 1954 best-selling novel by William March, “Bad Seed? premiered on Broadway the same year the novel debuted and ran for 334 performances. Blonde, pigtailed child-actress Nancy Kelly won the best actress Tony award for her portrayal of Rhoda Penmark. She also starred in the memorable film version which was released in 1956. It is considered a classic depiction of the ‘evil child’ in cinema, a theme which has since been copied by many horror films.
The play centers on sweet, dainty eight year old Rhoda Penmark, played by OHS senior Hannah Strzelinski, and her good-hearted mother Christine (Natalie Griffin). When the son of Mr. & Mrs. Daigle (Will Bandla & Leah Mullen) wins a coveted school medal and ends up drowned at the school picnic, Rhoda is slowly suspected as having been involved. Upstairs neighbors Monica and Emory (Olivia DeLorenzo, John Syrell) are fascinated by tales of murder and seek the companionship of criminologist Regina Tasker (Rachel Leotta) to probe Christine’s sub-conscious suspicions. When local handyman Leroy (Nolan Callahan) raises the ire of little Rhoda, the play moves to a fiery climax. Other students acting in the production include Jack Lee as Rhoda’s grandfather Richard Bravo, Travis Dominick as Rhoda’s father Colonel Penmark, and Ben Hansel as the Messenger. Production staff includes Kathleen McGreevy and Alexis Johnson, properties, and Sierra Palmer, director’s assistant. Fitzhugh Park music teacher Garrett Heater directs and Oswego High School choral teacher Robert Dumas produces this production, with costumes by Jeanette Reynor, set design and construction by Steve Braun, and sound design by TJ Bandla.