by Benjamin Fredericks of Robinson Secondary School

As Oscar Wilde wrote, “Behind every exquisite thing that existed, there was something tragic,” and Justice High School’s production of The Picture of Dorian Gray managed to show off both how exquisite theater can be, as well as the tragic nature of the play.

Adapted by Neil Bartlett from the Oscar Wilde book of the same name, The Picture of Dorian Gray follows the story of the titular character, Dorian Gray, who wishes to keep his youth forever. Once Dorian discovers that he stays youthful while his new portrait of him ages in his place, Dorian succumbs to temptation and pleasure.

Justice High school’s cast of 14 people made their black box show feel incredibly intimate. The smaller scale allowed the ghost ensemble to surround the audience throughout the show, immersing them in Dorian’s dive into insanity.

Elijah Kassa’s performance as the eponymous lead brilliantly showed off all aspects of this twisted character. Kassa showed Dorian’s wide range of emotions from an almost innocent playfulness in Dorian’s first introduction, to being wicked and cruel by the end of act one. In the second act, Kassa made excellent use of frantic movements and twitching to show Dorian’s descent into madness.

Sofia Hemmens was wonderfully captivating as Lord Henry Wotton. Hemmens’ use of sly smirks extraordinarily showed Henry’s cold and calculating nature throughout the show. Hemmens also showcased Henry’s charisma, making it clear why Dorian felt inspired by Henry’s words. 

Abigail Leegwater marvelously showcased the emotions of young actress Sybil Vane. From starting out as naive and lovestruck, to being full of anguish at the thought of being left by her fiancé, Leegwater left a lasting impression during the short time Sybil Vane was alive onstage.

The costumes, designed by Emy Fase (team of Abigail Leegwater, Bailey Farkas, and Laryssa R. Wilkins), were exceptional. They remained time period accurate, while also being full of symbolism. Examples of the symbolism include Dorian’s vest changing color as he loses his humanity, and Basil wearing all black in the scene leading up to his death.

Benny Ward did an outstanding job both designing and running the lights for the show. Ward faced unique challenges with needing to light actors so the audience can see them from both sides of the round stage. Ward also did a stellar job using lights to set the mood, with special red lights, as well as utilizing shadow to highlight the dark nature of Dorian Gray.

Justice High school’s production of The Picture of Dorian Gray was a remarkable experience leaving the audience wanting more, but as Oscar Wilde wrote “Some things are more precious because they don’t last long.”