To interview Oscar Saywell and Noah Montemarano, two of the many bright stars of the Black Maskers’ production of the theatre classic Les Miserables, is less a conversation than it is an experience. A quick ten-minute conversation stretches into half an hour, cut short only by the lunch bell. The conversation drifts naturally, aided by the accommodating nature of the two actors, and their sharp senses of humor.
The charming Montemarano, built solidly with a winning smile, is dwarfed next to the sandy-haired Englishman Saywell, no mean feat. Saywell has a habit of launching into tangents, bounding around on his long legs, while Montemarano, affectionately known as Monty to friends, is content to sit and chuckle frequently.
The two juniors, staples of Black Maskers productions since their freshman year, are two examples of the phenomenon sweeping over the Drama Club. The club has traditionally been dominated by female thespians, but the upper classes this year are loaded with male talent.
This frees up more shows for production. Traditionally, selection of shows has been restricted to those with many female or gender ambivalent roles. But now with many potential choices for male roles, there are never-before-possible options for shows. Montemarano assesses this new potential with excitement, saying, “[The upperclassmen boys] are certainly the new wave of influence for drama.” These shows include Claude-Michel Schonberg’s classic Les Miserables, this fall’s show, or last spring’s thriller, Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None.
And Then There Were None was a show with eleven roles, which were double-casted for twenty-two actors. Of these twenty two, only seven were female, a ratio previously thought nearly unattainable. Of those male actors, only two, Paul Ihadji-Moudoki and Chad Griffiths graduated.
Despite this exciting period in the club, Saywell and Montemarano remain humble. “We’ve both been extremely fortunate, because casting is so subjective,” Says Montemarano, although he and Oscar have had major roles in every production since Almost, Maine, the spring play of their freshman year. Montemarano also acted in Sweeney Todd, the musical in 2013, but Saywell was on set decoration and house, not acting until he was “dragged along” to a meeting for the “One Acts” of that year.
Both suggest the Drama Club to anyone seeking some place to make friends, with Montemarano crediting it with helping to ease his transition into the IB program, and Saywell appreciating its lively environment, offering a reminder that “We’re doing this to have fun, not to be stressed out.”
With that however, there are inherent stresses to taking on a show as complex as Les Miserables, with both calling it, “bigger, more massive.” Saywell notes that “everyone is really going to have to step up their game.” They both look forward to working with seniors Judah Canizares, who will play Jean Valjean, the protagonist, as well as Will Green and Greg Osborne who hold other key roles. Also of note are Eszter Janossy and Leigh Robertson, both making their debuts as actors in a mainstage production as Cosette and Fantine, respectively, the two primary female roles of the show. All involved know that this show will be a different beast than the musicals of the past. Says Ms. Davis, the club director, “[Les Miserables] is shaping up to be a true ensemble piece”, one where “Our ensemble is in the show constantly.” Such an ensemble would be impossible without the 15 male actors in the show.
The duo of Montemarano and Saywall remains optimistic of the unknown future, jokingly suggesting plays for the spring like a stage adaptation of classic films The Godfather and Finding Nemo. Whatever the future holds for the club, it is full of talent and anticipation for all those involved.
