Sigourney Weaver surprised the ambitious high school drama club behind the viral Alien: The Play when she showed up at North Bergen High School’s encore performance Friday, which marked the 40th anniversary of the legendary sci-fi thriller.
The New Jersey high school became an internet sensation because of the elaborate sets and costumes – reportedly all created with recycled materials and with a budget of $3,500 – of their spring production. Director Ridley Scott even penned a letter to the North Bergen Drama Club, crediting their “creativity, imagination and determination.”
On Friday – designated the fourth annual Alien Day to celebrate the franchise’s 40th anniversary – the actress who played Ripley herself surprised the cast and crew in the hallway of North Bergen High School:
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
During the performance itself, Weaver also addressed the Alien: The Play audience and praised the school’s “extraordinary” teachers as well as the North Bergen cast and crew:
According to North Bergen mayor Nick Sacco, following the encore performance of Alien: The Play, the New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts “presented each student of the cast and crew with a $1k scholarship to their summer program as well as each Senior with a $10k scholarship to the college.”
