Video: Watch The Wonderful 'Alien: The Play' Staged By NJ High Schoolers
April 30, 2019, 1:43 p.m.
Original star Sigourney Weaver hung out with the teens backstage: 'I am representing all of the 'Alien' fans, all over the universe who think what you're doing is so cool.'
Last month, students from North Bergen High School's Drama Club staged Ridley Scott’s 1979 sci-fi/horror classic Alien as a play for two nights only, with hand-crafted costumes (including a DIY Xenomorph suit) and impressive sound and video design incorporated. The show, directed by drama teacher Perfecto Cuervo, garnered rave reviews from the director, original star Sigourney Weaver, and of course, all of the students' friends and parents. It was so popular online, the students ended up re-staging it one more time last week on the 40th anniversary of the film, with Weaver in attendance.
You can now watch the entire production below, which, appropriately, looks like it was filmed by a parent, with all the slightly out-of-focus moments one would expect. "This is the night I have been waiting for, I am so excited," Weaver told the audience to kick off the play. "I've only been here a couple of hours, but I can tell this is a very special place in a very special town."
She also hung out with them backstage: "I am representing all of the Alien fans, all over the universe who think what you're doing is so cool," she said.
Sigourney Weaver visiting the NBHS cast and crew at their encore performance of Alien after national media recognition was unbelievable!! #alien #Alien40th pic.twitter.com/2UXL0v1H3X
— Nicholas J. Sacco (@NicholasJSacco) April 27, 2019
Look who stopped by North Bergen High to visit the spectacular cast of Alien: The Play. Thank you, Sigourney Weaver! And thank you, North Bergen High! #AlienDay #Alien40th pic.twitter.com/ObMZh4m4t3
— Alien (@AlienAnthology) April 27, 2019
They got sent a pretty nifty-looking cake from the Cake Boss himself, Buddy Valastro:
Congratulations to the cast and crew of North Bergen High School’s @alienanthology on their encore (SOLD OUT!) performance last night. Hard work and ingenuity will always result in something sweet! 🍰💫 pic.twitter.com/9V7mKNdp22
— Buddy Valastro (@CakeBossBuddy) April 28, 2019
Weaver also released a video congratulating them on the production: "You put so much heart and soul into that. The alien, I must say, looked very real to me," she says in the video below. "I just wanted to send our compliments. Not only from me but from James Cameron and the original screenwriter, Walter Hill. We all say bravo. Well done. And just one more thing — you know the alien might still be round, so when you're opening your locker, just do it very slowly..."
Scott, who supplied funds to pay for the encore performance last week, released his own letter of appreciation as well:
My favorite director @Sir_RidleyScott just gave the North Bergen Drama Club his official endorsement for "Alien: The Play"! Thank you Mr. Scott for making Alien and allowing us to share it with a new generation! Gladiator: The Play in 2020! YES! pic.twitter.com/f5jUzO4bzv
— Perfecto Cuervo (@CuervoPerfecto) March 28, 2019
