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HDA’s "Noises Off" Delivers Laughs and Impressive Set Changes
Click here to browse and download images from this gallery on SmugMug, taken by Chris Randall.
The Hopkins Drama Association opened their 2026-2027 season with the comedy Noises Off. Presented on the Academic & Performing Arts Center stage from November 5–7, the cast and crew delivered the complicated play-within-a-play with expert comedic timing and impressive sets that transformed between each of the three acts.
Noises Off is the story of an overwhelmed director, a struggling theater troupe, and the cheesy farce they are bringing to life on their own stage, Nothing On. In Act One, we meet the characters in their final dress rehearsal as they struggle with missed lines, blocking, and props, amid their interpersonal ties and challenges. In Act Two, we see behind the scenes on a performance night four weeks later.
While the play is acted in the background, the cast’s backstage relationships become more fraught in whispered conversations and escalate into physical fights and sabotage. In Act Three, we see the play from the front of the stage again as the cast backstage, as well as their production, is falling apart.
Between each act, the full cast and crew got to work on a massive set transformation, an impressive coordinated effort to take the audience from the front of house to the back of house, and back again.
See a time lapse video of one of these transitions in the video below.
This production of Noises Off was the third staging of the play at Hopkins for Director Hope Hartup. She brought the play to life in 1994, 2004, and again this year in 2026.
Congratulations to Director Hartup, Technical Directors Dak Mannella and David Kenton, as well as the entire cast and crew on their wonderful production of Noises Off!
From the Program:
Noises Off
A Farce in Three Acts
by Michael Frayn
Directed by Hope Hartup
Technical Direction by Dak Mannella and David Kenton
The cast in order of appearance
Dotty/Mrs. Clackett........Anjali van Bladel ’27
Lloyd Dallas.............Alexander Ciminiello ’27
Garry/Roger...........................Vincent Sze ’27
Brooke/Vicki.............................Greta Lee ’28
Poppy...............................Chaima Arouna ’27
Frederick/Philip................Jack Beauclair ’27
Belinda/Flavia....................Fiona Wiman ’28
Tim......................................Alice Valente ’27
Selsdon/Robber....................Matteo Vinci ’29
Act 1
Final Dress Rehearsal of Nothings On
Grand Theatre, Weston-super-Mare
10 Minute Intermission
Act 2
Backstage, Four Weeks Later
Theatre Royal, Ashton-under-Lyne
10 Minute Intermission
Act 3
Six Weeks Later
Municpal Theatre, Stockton-on-Tees
Production Staff
Production Stage Manager.......Sophia dos Santos ’27
Ass’t Stage Managers....................Natalie Billings ’27, Arjun Phatak ’28
Sound Design...........................George Thompson ’28
Light Design..............................................Lily Lu ’29
Costume Head.......................................Maia Cort ’28
Props Head.................................Molly Calderone ’27
Technical Assistant..................Jackie LaBelle-Young
Poster Design.........................................Angel Lu ’28
Running Crew
Leila Abate ’27, Erika Berliner ’28, Susie Becker ’28, Sasha Ghai ’27, Michael Mfuko ’27, Emi Onorato ’28, Jensen Rodriguez ’28, Riya Roda ’29, Bea Vassilev ’27, Louis Young ’30, and Members of the Cast
Props Running Crew: Kaya Heeger ’29, Alice Neitzke ’30, Natalie Tolchin ’30
Scenic Crew:
Leila Abate ’27, Livia Balkan ’27, Susie Becker ’28, Erika Berliner ’28, Valentia Cassella ’27,
Amaya Flores-Montero ’29, Roya Gendron ’29, Saisha Ghai ’27, Estelle Hammarlund ’27,
Aashi Karanth ’27, Michael Mfuko ’27, Emi Onorato ’28, Riya Roda ’29, Jensen Rodriguez ’28 Kayla Song ’27, Bea Vassilev ’27, Louis Young ’30
Costumes
Camille Bahr ’28, Ashley Omega ’27, Seren Samy ’29, Juliette Watson ’30
With enormous gratitude, we thank Dak Mannella for stepping in to help bring the show to the finish line!
We also thank Bobby Smith, Michael Calderone, Jemma Williams, the Security Team, the Facilities Management Team, as well as the families of our cast and crew.
Dedicated to the memory of Greg Kenna ’04
HDA’s next production:
Live from New Haven: Student Directed One Acts
December 10, 11, 12, 7:00 pm
Hopkins is a private middle school and high school for grades 7-12. Located on a campus overlooking New Haven, CT, the School takes pride in its intellectually curious students as well as its dedicated faculty and staff.
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