And…that’s a wrap! After four shows and seven weeks of work from the cast and crew alike, The Apex Peak Players’ fall 2023 play The Phantom Tollbooth comes to a close. In every theater production there are several roles that go into producing the shows hundreds of audience members watch. Our theater director and tech director Ms. Levine and Mr. Bunch carefully selects cast and crew members ranging from Cast, backstage tech crew, running deck, prompters, makeup and dress, directors assistant, and so many more! I decided to interview some of the cast of the play to more fully understand the process and work put into this play but also to understand the experiences the actors have during those seven weeks. 

I interviewed Aminah Almesad who plays Milo, the main character of the story. Milo is a boy who is quite bored with his life and has way too much time on his hands. In the story he finds a tollbooth, which sends him to faraway lands where he learns the value of time, particularly in Dictionopolis. By the end of Milo’s journey he discovers only one hour has gone by once he returns home, baffled that it was such a short amount of time considering the heights of the journey he endured with companions Humbug and Tok. It’s Aminah’s senior year, meaning her last play as a Peak Player across the last four years. I asked her how she felt being cast as the main character, Milo. “I was honestly so excited when I saw that I got cast as Milo; it felt like all my hard work over the four years had paid off. It definitely required a lot of time and dedication,  and it wasn’t always the easiest, but it’s always worth it when you’re doing something you love.” 

I then asked what her journey has been like to work with the Apex Peak Players in this play, what really draws her to the experience of it all. “As for my whole experience in this show, it was awesome! It truly is the ensemble all working together that makes a great show, and I don’t think anyone else could have pulled this off. Everyone was so kind, and we all sort of formed a big family right away which made the process ten times easier. I also received a lot of support from my peers, and I am so glad that I got to work with such an amazing group of people for my final fall play! Truly an experience I will never forget .” 

I also interviewed Sabrina Koo, who plays both the ecstatic Dynne and the infamous Tollbooth in the play. I asked her what her favorite experience of the play was and a favorite memory she had from the rehearsal or show process. “I think my favorite experience was the community and getting to see everyone grow in their characters from the very beginning. My favorite memory is probably seeing James go full out, crazy for the first time as Dischord. He’s hilarious.” 

 Lastly, I interviewed Shiloah Paxton who plays the princess Rhyme who must be rescued by Milo, Tok, and Humbug as a vital part of the story’s plot. I asked her what her favorite part of the play’s experience was. She answered “My favorite part of working on the play was being able to be with my friends and make new ones. I made so many new friends and was able to make new memories with so many old friends. It was just such a memorable experience.” 

There you have it. The Apex Peak Players is a family experience, and all the cast looks forward to the play every year because of the bonding experience it fulfills. Not only that, but the work that goes into the making pays off, and all the cast and crew are very passionate about their work.  After all, it’s something they all love doing. If you want a theater experience like The Phantom Tollbooth, you should join Apex Peak Players for a chance to try out theater!  You might get an opportunity to experience what the cast does in future productions!