Arts and Lifestyle — The St. Marker

Hannah Cha ’25

The annual Winter Play is back! This season’s play showcases Clue: On Stage, a hilarious farce-meets-murder-mystery play written by Sandy Rustin. Its storyline is based on Jonathan Lynn’s 1985 Paramount movie Clue, which was inspired by a Hasbro board game with the same name.

In a remote mansion, six mysterious guests gather for a rather peculiar dinner party with murder and blackmail on the menu. When their host appears dead, they all become potential suspects in the schemes and mystery surrounding the manor. Led by Wadsworth–the butler, Miss Scarlet, Professor Plum, Mrs. White, Mr. Green, Mrs. Peacock, and Colonel Mustard race to accuse the killer as they confront sometimes very confusing and sometimes rather terrifying events. It is all about figuring out WHO did it, WHERE, and with WHAT!

Clue: On Stage is a very fast-paced show that contains elements of both comedy and thriller. The stark contrast of emotions expressed between each scene allows the audience to taste the fun of the show following along such diverse ways how each character reacts to an event. If you have any prior experience with the movie or the game, try contrasting each figure in play with the movie or the game; they are similar yet different in subtle details.

The performance of Clue; On Stage took place from February 26th to the following 28th in the Black Box Theater. Thanks to all who came! The show was a culmination of hard work, dedication, and the creative brilliance of all cast and crew who have been pouring their hearts to bring this play to life. The playful and dramatic tone of the show captured the audiences’ attention to the mystery of the play and each character’s episodes. The collaborative energy seen through the show was truly memorable, as was the theatrical venture undertaken by Clue; On Stage lingered in various audiences’ hearts.

Seoyeon Kim ‘26

Sleep is fundamental to achieving good health. However, in today’s busy world, many tend to undervalue it, prioritizing school work, social activities, or screen time instead. In reality, sleep deprivation can have far-reaching consequences on both our physical health and cognitive function. According to the CDC, sleep deprivation also increases the risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke, poor mental health, and even early death. Beyond physical health, sleep also affects our ability to focus, adapt, react, and make decisions, which are all critical for high performance in school and sports and play a pivotal role in college preparation in the long run.

Some factors influencing sleep duration include insomnia, work, family commitment, alcohol or caffeine consumption, smoking or vaping, and even distractions like the temptation to watch Netflix and cultural norms. Many students end up trading off sleep time to balance a packed schedule.

The average teen needs 8 to 10 hours of sleep per 24 hours and the average adult needs 7 or more hours per 24 hours to maintain optimal health and functioning. Yet, many of us fall short of this recommendation. At St. Mark’s, data collected from students shows that the majority sleep for 6–7 hours per night (49 out of 69 students), while a significant number sleep even less, with 4–5 hours reported by 15 students and 0–3 hours by 3 students. Only 12 students reported getting the optimal 8–9 hours of sleep. These numbers highlight the gap between what we need for optimal health and what is actually happening within our community.

Sleep deprivation especially affects regular cognitive function, which includes mental processes like attention, memory, reaction, perception, and decision-making. These processes develop through childhood and adolescence and are crucial for our interaction with our surroundings. Sleep deprivation negatively affects reaction time, hindering quick responses. All in all, chronic sleep deprivation can have long-lasting harm, making it crucial to prioritize sufficient rest.

To prevent sleep deprivation, St. Mark’s has a designated lights-out time for boarding students, reflecting the school’s commitment to cultivating healthy sleeping habits. However, many students struggle to follow it due to the heavy demands of academics, sports, extracurricular activities, and college preparations.

So, how can we as students make improvements?

Cultivating good sleep hygiene is key. Avoid caffeine late in the day or night, minimize screen time before bed to reduce blue light exposure, and create a calm sleep environment. Set a consistent bedtime and wake-up schedule—even on weekends, if possible—and try to stick to it. Also, trying to stay in a consistent, rhythmic sleep pattern–sleeping and waking up at the same time daily is significantly crucial.

These solutions seem rather obvious, but we must understand that sacrificing sleep for school work, sports, extracurricular activities, or college prep is counter-intuitive. By consciously deciding to meet sleep requirements, we can gain control over our future. Let’s ensure to give our bodies and minds the rest they need by balancing our work loads and commitments!