Behind the Curtain!

SING! Sophomore Ari Anderson performs her role as Constace Blackwood in the VHS production of Ride the Cyclone. The VHS theatre works so hard to create incredible productions and build a strong and welcoming community. Photo courtesy of Noah Read.

The lights come on, the voices of people singing, the curtains closing, and most importantly the people. The VHS theater program has worked so hard doing iconic shows, like Ride the Cyclone or As you like it. To putting on their own productions. There is so much to learn about the theater and their friendship, while putting on these productions. One thing the VHS theater does well is not only the shows but also the community.

“I love the VHS theatre community. I've made so many of my closest friends in theatre, and for the most part it's a very comfortable and fun environment all around,” Senior Sky Skiena said.

Having an environment where everybody has the same hobby and loves what they are doing can help create some of the most amazing shows. 

 “I also love all the little inside jokes and traditions we have. It's just kind of constant chaos in the best possible way,” Skiena says. Especially in theatre it can always be challenging and stressful, but having inside jokes and traditions always lighten the mood.

Everyone has a favorite part about being on the stage. It could be finally getting on stage or trying on costumes but everyone loves the hard work that is put into it. Especially when an actor is backstage before opening night waiting for the curtain to open and then it does, the light hits them  and it’s showtime.

“My favorite part of being in theatre is probably watching everything come together and seeing what it can make and honestly that's also the most rewarding part, that whole aspect of being a part of such amazing productions,” Sophomore Ari Anderson said. 

Seeing the production come together can really put into perspective how much effort everyone puts into a production. Watching as everyone finally knows their parts and knowing their queues, can be a breath of fresh air. But it must be a different feeling for the person who is in charge of it, especially when their own student wrote the play.

“I think about when we staged The Witch of Edmonton, a full-length play written by a student, Phoebe Ray. I think of a few moments when people in the theatre gasped, because it was a genuinely good and scary and funny play with real surprises. I think I remember Mr. Warmenhoven doing the "mind-blown" gesture when he left that production, and for Phoebe's sake I have a lot of pride in that,” English teacher Mr. James said.

Having students get a passion to not only write their own play but also put it on can be an amazing feeling. It can be hard to open up to the point of working on your own production but also just working in a play or theatre setting.

“People open up, bit by bit and skill by skill, until they are willing to share their hearts with other people. That gets rewarded when the audience opens up, because they laugh or cry or gasp. That's a feedback loop of everyone having real and emotional experiences together, and I love that,” James continued. The emotional connections that people make through theatre can last a lifetime.

In the end, the theatre program at VHS has so many moments that people can never forget. Having the connections to getting out on stage and making friends that will last a lifetime, people can put on their own play or do lighting. But in the end it's a community where you can laugh, cry or just be yourself.