MOSES LAKE — The curtain rises March 1 at the Moses Lake High School theater on a tale of a teenager facing challenges within and without. The MLHS production of “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time” is scheduled for 7 p.m. March 1, 4 and 5 and 2 p.m. March 2.

The title is from a Sherlock Holmes story, but the play has nothing to do with Victorian times. Beck Ashton, who’s one of the leads, said it presented the actors and actresses with a challenge.

“It’s a difficult play,” Ashton said. 

Director and drama advisor Sharon Winningham said trying something new was the idea. 

“We have state competition coming up in March, and I selected this piece to perform there,” she said. “And I felt like after ‘The Three Musketeers,’ which was just a whole lot of fun from beginning to end in front of the audience, this would challenge my kids. I thought they were ready for something different.”

Christopher (Noah Carlile in the MLHS production) is a British teenager, who’s good at math and doing OK with the daily challenges that come with being on the autism spectrum. He lives with his dad (Ashton) — his mom (Llaylani Fuentes) has passed away — and between the two of them and his teacher Siobhan (Gracie Jewell), Christopher’s doing all right. 

But then the little dog that belongs to his neighbor is killed, and Christopher becomes obsessed with finding out what happened. Even when he’s told to stop Christopher keeps going, and what he finds leads him in totally unexpected directions.

“When I read it, I loved it,” Winningham said. “You think that Christopher is one thing at the beginning of the play, but as you get through the story (and) the way the layers of him and his life are revealed — it’s just really beautifully written.” 

Carlile said the role presented a double challenge, not only creating a convincing character but handling his role with sensitivity. He did some research on autism to help.

“I’ve been trying to figure out how to correctly do it without it being offensive. There’s a line that I don’t want to cross, and there’s a line I want to stay on,” he said. “And I’ve been trying to stay on that line.

“There are also some really stressful moments, high-energy moments on stage where the character is breaking down or freaking out, and it takes a lot of energy up there to execute it properly,” he said.

Some rude shocks await Christopher, many of them hidden from him by his dad. Ashton said it’s a balancing act.

“He’s going to find out that I lied to him,” Ashton said. “So I don’t want him to find out, but at the same time, I still love him. And it’s just kind of hard to find a balance.”

Ashton said he was skeptical at first since both the play’s subject and its structure provided a challenge.

“It’s hard to portray (the subject) without going too far,” he said. “So I was just thinking, ‘I don’t know that we’re on that level yet. I don’t know if it’s a good idea to have young kids doing this.’ And then (Winningham) chose it anyway.”

It turned out to be the right choice, he said.

“It’s going to take a lot more effort than any show I’ve ever done,” he said. “She ended up going with it, and I’m really happy she did. It was meant to challenge all of us, and it’s been a really great experience overall.”

Cheryl Schweizer can be reached via email at [email protected].

    Christopher (Noah Carlile) left, remembers a day he made a connection with his mom (Llaylani Fuentes), right.
  

    Christopher (Noah Carlile) sits in school, in front of the interested audience in the ensemble.
  

    Christopher (Noah Carlile), foreground, and his dad have a difficult conversation in the Moses Lake High School production of “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time.”
  

    Christopher (Noah Carlile) wants some answers from the pastor (Andrew Rowley).