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Schools

LCHS Drama Class's Invisible Man Is Not So Invisible

John Wells's advanced drama class places in districts, region, and state competition.

What would it be like to be a homeless man, who is invisible to the public, and one day he musters up enough courage to branch out and engage in the different people who he encounters daily? Invisible Man, a play written and directed by Loudoun County High School’s drama teacher John Wells, shows the day in the life of this homeless man who eventually makes connections to others, making his invisibility visible. Wells’s play won 3rd in District, 2nd in Region, and 2nd in State this year, and actor Sean Briggs, who plays the homeless man won the best actor in all three competitions.

“The original production was in 1999,” says Wells. “The connection to the play between the actors and script was a lot stronger for the first cast, because I was writing it and bringing in pieces and I knew who was going to be who as I was writing it. So there was a stronger character connection, but it still challenged the actors then. But, for these guys it was total square one and they had no idea what the play was about.”

 Wells used his advanced drama class in this production which was different than in the past with this play. Putting on Invisible Man in the past, there were auditions that took place.

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 “With this group it was, we have this many roles and this many people. For some it was a pretty simple, straight shot, easy thing to do, for others it was like their first time ever on stage,” says Wells. “Ever production presents its own productions.”

Sean Briggs, the best actor award winner, says that he’s been acting since he was in fifth grade, just little school productions. He was actually too scared to participate when he was a freshman in high school. And winning this award may have opened his eyes about how good of an actor he really is.

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“It’s something that when it happened it was like, woah…what’s going on? I just stood up and walked on stage and got my little medal,” says Briggs. “It’s weird realizing that everyone is clapping only for you. Because when you’re in a play and you’re done, everyone is clapping for everyone. When you win an award for acting you realize that judges pointed you out.”

This production and being a part of Mr. Wells’s drama class, says Briggs, is like having a second family. 

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