Gage Nichols is taking on a big role in his final school play at Wellsville-Middletown High School.

Instead of acting, the W-M senior will be the mastermind behind the cameras as he is the student director of this year’s play, “Seusspeare: Much Ado About Everything.” He even has a clapperboard during rehearsals.

“I have a terrible memory, so it gives me a chance to not memorize lines and fill another role,” Nichols said.

The play is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Oct. 16 and 17 at the W-M gymnasium. The cost of the tickets is $15 for reserved gym floor seating and $5 for open bleacher seating. Tickets can be purchased by contacting one of the cast members or the directors.

A dinner will be served at the play. The menu includes lasagna, green beans and rolls and the dessert will be a white sheet cake since the play has a wedding theme.

The cast includes Zeke Bradley, Embrilynn Christian, Charlie Freie, Kara Freie, Aubrey Harmon, Leah Kleinsorge, Luke Nelson, Gatlin Null, Leo Oligschlaeger, Caiden Orick, Cody Roland, Maci Slay, Jade Thompson, Uriah Thompson and Pyper Travis.
Freie plays the main character, Leona, a reality show TV star who comes up with a plan to save her show from cancellation. That plan is to hold a wedding for Leona’s daughter Helen, who is played by Harmon.

The play ends with a double wedding. Helen marries Claude, who is played by Oligschlaeger. Jade Thompson plays Helen’s cousin Beatrice and ends up marrying Benedict, who is played by Roland.

Also, Kleinsorge plays Leona’s assistant, DJ, who invents a cheating scandal that created some drama.

“There’s a lot of confusion and mayhem,” said Roni Bradley, who is the play’s main director. “That’s where the Seuss part comes in.”

Nichols is in his fifth year with the W-M Specdra group. When he was a freshman, he played two roles in the play called “Twice Upon A Time.”

Freie and Harmon also have been with the group since eighth grade. Kleinsorge joined the group when she was a freshman. Another senior, Kristen Bradley, will be an extra in this year’s play.

Nichols said he is upset that his long career with the Specdra group is coming to an end.

“I’m not ready for it,” he said. “I wish I could do it over and over again. It’s the same with sports and all of that. It’s fun to be part of the school.”

Rehearsals began a week before school started in late August. Bradley said she is happy with the work Nichols has done as student director after a month.

“His leadership has been really good,” Bradley said. “The students listen to him. He has given them some great stage directions. We try to get them as much say as we can and kind of get our feedback on top of it. He’s been fabulous so far.”

Nichols said he enjoys working with Bradley and assistant director Niki Freie.

“Mrs. Bradley, Mrs. Freie and I kind of come to an agreement on how we want things,” the senior said. “If we all like an idea, we would stick with that. We all help where we all need help with. So if there are three things going on, we can each help with different things.”