Joliet West Interpretation Team Prepare for 2019 Sectionals

Student members of the Joliet West High School Group Interpretation performed “A Series of Unfortunate Events” in front of their peers on Wednesday, March 13, 2019 in preparation for the Sectionals competition on Saturday, March 16, at Richards High School in Oak Lawn. There are thirteen cast members in Joliet West GI directed by instructor Kristin Blake.

Under the strict rules of the IHSA for Group Interpretation (GI), the students must perform without the aid of props, costumes, or scenery. Shows must be less than 30 minutes in length, and the performers must mainly direct their focus offstage, facing the audience rather than each other.

Nonetheless, the West GI team successfully had the audience at the edge of their seats during their captivating interpretation of the first book in the popular thirteen-book series written by Daniel Handler under the pen name Lemony Snicket. “A Series of Unforuntate Events” tells the catastrophic story of Violet, Klaus, and Sunny Baudelaire, are placed in the custody of Count Olaf, a devious relative who attempts to steal their inheritance by all means necessary.

Tony Nardi plays the main antagonist, Count Olaf. Nardi said, “This is one of my favorite stories from childhood, and I’m really happy to share this story before I graduate. I’m really proud of everyone.”

Lily Villaflor, who plays Violet Baudelaire, added, “We’ve worked really hard to put this together, and I’m really excited to share this story with our school today.”

After their performance, the audience asked many questions regarding the challenges the performers overcame to develop the show, and many students in the audience agreed that they not only enjoyed the comedic moments of the show, but also felt true fear in response to Count Olaf’s menacing threats and impositions.

Kristin Blake said, “I’m so proud of these kids for their creativity, passion, and talent.”

JTHS congratulates the Joliet West Group Interpretation Team for their success in performing for their peers and wishes them the best as they proceed to the IHSA Sectionals on Saturday.