MC Theatre program mandates members join Caravan Tuff

The United States Marines are known worldwide for their relentless grit, intense fire, and a never-ending stream of mental and physical fortitude. These traits are the root of what makes them marines. 

And then there is the Mount Carmel Drama Club. To put it lightly, they are not known for their physical toughness and relentless intensity. Regardless, there is a great contrast between the two, particularly in the fitness aspect. This begs the question: how are these actors going to accurately and offer an authentic portrayal of marines in Mount Carmel’s 2025 theatre production of A Few Good Men showing on May 2, 3, and 4? Mr. KC Perlberg, the director of the school play, offered a solution that one could say is a bit … tough.

Caravan Tough is a dedicated group workout program known for its intensity. Typically aimed at football players planning to put in work during the off-season but not exclusive to them, the program has garnered over one hundred participants schoolwide. Perlberg, in an attempt to create a somewhat authentic marine training experience for the young thespians, has mandated that they all join.

“It’s called method acting,” Perlberg explains, “That’s when one has a firsthand life experience similar to that of the character they play in order to create a more genuine and compelling performance. Examples of which include someone becoming homeless for a few weeks in order to play a homeless person or acting as a Mount Carmel freshman in order to play a clown.”

Throughout the history of Mount Carmel theatre, something like this had never been done before; however, Perlberg deemed it necessary in order to create a truly transcendent experience, especially considering that this is the first play to ever be performed in the new Barry-Hughes Performing Arts Center.

The results of this experience have been yielding generally positive results. As a whole, the troupe has gotten both physically more fit and more fit to play their characters by experiencing the grueling hard work similar to that their characters would have gone through daily.

“It’s tough, for sure, too much so at times,” recalled senior Angelo Correa, who plays PFC William Santiago in the play, “but I really feel more in touch with my character. If I had to do this every single day, I’d beg to leave too.”

“I feel more in touch with my character too,” added freshman Hunter Hawkins, who plays Lance Corporal Dawnson, “But, I’m already at my tipping point with Angelo. I swear to God, if I ever hear him whine one more time about our training, which isn’t even that hard by the way, we just ran two miles, I might have to get even more in character and deal with Santiago just like how Dawson did. Without getting into too heavy of spoilers, it’s not pretty for Santiago.”

Overall, this crossing of these two successful yet wildly different programs here at MC has led to incredible work, which only promises an even better final product for the final performances on May 1st, 3rd, and 4th.