This semester, the Salida High School performing arts program put on the play Miss Holmes by Christopher M. Walsh, based on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s characters. The play is a spinoff of the classic tale of Sherlock Holmes. Students have worked hard to bring the show together for several months. The play was shown on March 7th, at seven P.M. and March 8th at two and seven P.M.
“The main idea of it is just a normal Sherlock Holmes story, but Sherlock and Watson are both women,” senior Olive Ritchie explained. The performing arts directors wrote in the program, “this version of Sherlock has to contend with societal forces that she cannot defeat with logic and facts alone, including violence, sexism and the general challenge of living as a woman in 1881.” Miss Holmes follows the iconic detective and her companion, Doctor Dorothy Watson as they investigate a corrupt detective and the murders surrounding that.
Sherlock was played by Ritchie, while senior Kaia Trevor played Watson. “I like the character of Sherlock just generally, I think detectives are fun, also the floaty arrogant attitude is a fun thing to add because it’s not what I’m like in real life,” said Ritchie.
Another senior vital to the success of the play was stage manager Athena Smith. She helped manage the crew, lead drama, and arranged the set and props. As well as that, she was in charge of organizing scene changes in a way that was quick and efficient. She very much enjoyed having “Miss Holmes” be the last play of her high school career.
“I think Miss Holmes was a great pick for the last show this year because of the stark difference between it and The Addams Family. I’ve done such a wide range of plays and musicals in my years here and I’m glad I stuck with theater. I recommend it to everyone because it’s such a welcoming and enjoyable experience,” Smith said.
Many students participate in drama to find a community and a sense of belonging, with many finding the theater community to be very welcoming.
“I really love being able to hang out with my friends and act and make a cool play,” said Ritchie.
Cast and crew was smaller than usual this semester, so the students had their work cut out for them. Miss Holmes is heavy on dialogue, and some students took on multiple roles. Many students stepped up to take on new roles in the process. “Traversing challenges and learning to move forward is a large part of the process of putting on a show,” sophomore Sophia Shaver said, “Theater isn’t always easy and it really does matter the environment you are in. That’s what makes the high school environment so great.”
All seniors were both happy and sad about the play ending. All enjoyed the experience and were happy to end their drama careers on a high note, and all were extremely happy for the life lessons and community they were able to build through theater.
“I love drama. It’s been one of the biggest parts of my life for the last four years. I’ve loved all the ups and downs and the experiences I’ve gained through drama. As well as giving me a space to be myself and have fun with my friends, drama has given me a way to connect with the people around me. I am so thankful for all the experiences drama has given me, and I know I will bring all these lessons to college. I love drama and I’d recommend anyone to join. It’s so fun and rewarding,” Ritchie said.