QHS spring play focuses on siblings — on and off stage

Published 11:02 am Monday, May 4, 2026

QUINCY — Brother and sister Katherine and Jonathan Prescott work together to pivot to a new plan when their cousin cancels his visit at the last minute in the Quincy High School spring play production of “My Cousin Lino.”

Six sets of QHS siblings help to bring the fast-paced comedy to life, on and off stage, and they say working together in the production brings both rewards and challenges.

“It’s great having her — it’s her last play. It’s easier working with a sibling. She’s the person I know the best,” said Isaac Gosteli, a sophomore playing the messenger in the production featuring his sister Addison, a senior, playing Katherine Prescott.

“It’s definitely interesting. Sometimes it’s hard for me to separate younger brother from just another actor in the play, and because it’s hard for me to have that separation, I feel I have to tell him everything he has to do,” she said.

“No you don’t,” he responded.

But both agree they’ve gotten a lot better “at our dynamic” in working together for the third time on the QHS stage.

“It’s almost like a passing of the torch,” said senior Gavin Ginos, who plays Robert Willis, the long-lost friend of Jonathan Prescott, played by his brother Oliver.

“For me it’s kind of a big year — my last year, his first,” said Urban Venvertloh who works with lights while his brother Reno works backstage crew.

“You know who they are, what they can do,” Reno said. “It helps you get a better sibling relationship.”

Like the students, production director Meghan Buckley sees the potential for good and bad with siblings involved in the production. Transportation’s easier for younger students and there’s a comfort level between siblings but bickering or being silly together also can happen.

“Recently, I’ve had more siblings. The younger kids see what the older kids are doing, and when they get to high school, they want to get involved,” Buckley said. “It worked out for us that we have a lot of hard-working kids who have hard-working siblings.”

Their hard work pays off in a production that Buckley said made her laugh.

“There is something really fun about a set full of doors and lots of action with the actors that is really fun to watch as an audience member and fun to do as an actor,” she said.

It’s an easier production than the winter play “Before Oz” with a smaller cast, less line load and fewer technical challenges, but with “this one you have to be incredibly focused because it’s very fast-paced,” Buckley said.

“I always hope that the audience leaves with a good laugh,” Buckley said. “I hope that they forgot about their day for a little bit and went to our make-believe world, and I hope that it was something that entertained them in a way that they would talk about it once they leave the theater.”

The Prescott siblings find ways to work together in the play, and so do the QHS siblings.

“You have higher expectations for them. You know them, know what they can do,” said Thomas Keller, a senior working on sound whose brother Joseph is working with lights.

“I think it’s easier” working with a sibling, said Ellie Fesler, who with her sister Katie is part of the backstage crew. “It’s someone I can always just work with.”

“My Cousin Lino” takes the stage at 7 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday at Quincy High School.

Tickets — $10 for K-12 students and $15 for adults — are available at the door or online at qps.org/music.

The production is under the direction of Meghan Buckley with David Buckley overseeing technical direction. Gabby Jones is the student director, and stage management will be led by Katelin Barnes, Bailey Williams and Riley Rettenmeier.