The griffin is a notorious mythological character known for its body of a lion and head and wings of an eagle. Although it is usually imagined soaring through the skies or lurking on mountain tops, the griffin made its appearance at AHS this winter.

On Feb. 3, the theatre department held its annual children’s play in the auditorium. Theatre arts teacher George Bennett selected Good Grief, A Griffin as this year’s play.

“This is one of my favorite children’s plays and it also has really great music in it,” Bennett said.

Junior Andy Riddle starred as the griffin, while fellow junior Betsy Cohan played the mayor and senior Jessica Frederickson played the minor canon.

“We had a big audience this year and I felt the show was great for a children’s play,” Riddle said.

The play is set in medieval times in a small town run by an arrogant mayor, though the residents of the town are just as selfish and ignorant as their political leader. The minor canon is the religious leader in the town and is attempts to fix all of the characters’ attitudes. The town church also has a stone image of a griffin above its doors by which the griffin soon appears for the first time in its long lifetime.

Frightened, the townspeople run about for help from this “monster” and call for the minor canon’s help. Luckily, the minor canon is the only one brave enough to talk to the griffin and soon finds that the griffin is wise and not as frightening as he looks. The griffin explains that he is going to the town to see his image because he does not know what he looks like due to the fact that he is the only griffin in existence. They then proceed to the town where the townspeople are hiding from the griffin because they are scared. The griffin loves his statue’s image and stays for a couple weeks until the townspeople decide to try and get rid of him.

The townspeople then proceed to send away the minor canon, thinking that the griffin will follow. The townspeople celebrate until the griffin returns from a nap asking where the minor canon has gone. Since no one will say where he has gone, the griffin decides that he will continue the minor canon’s good work while he is away. He tells the people to do the right things and they listen because they are afraid that the griffin will eat them.

The griffin tells them that he only eats people who are good and kind, like the minor canon. The griffin only eats twice a year and is getting very hungry. He goes and searches for the minor canon. When he finds the minor canon he is faced with the choice of eating the minor canon or sparing the minor canon because of their friendship. In the end he realizes friendship is more powerful than his hunger. The minor canon returns to the town and the townspeople realize how badly they treated the minor canon and begin to change their ways. They then rejoice in the things the griffin had shown them.

The play lasted approximately 75 minutes.

“The show was a great overall experience and I am excited for AHS’s next theater production,” Riddle said.