For the past few months, the high school drama department has been working on and preparing for this year’s winter musical, premiering this weekend, which is Hadestown: Teen Edition. This play is base on a greek tragedy, set in the 1930. Read more about its origin here. Both the cast and crew have put in hours of hard work to make this show stick out to the audience, hoping to create a long-lasting memory for all those watching. The shows took place over the weekend from February 21-23.

The drama department spent the past few months practicing for this musical after school hours, taking place as an after school activity. However, with the weekend before the show being tech week, the cast and crew spent their entire afternoons at the Rome City Auditorium to make sure they were ready for the upcoming weekend.

“This week, we got to the Rome City Auditorium around 3:30, and had dinner,” sophomore and prop manager, Callie Eady said. “Then we prepared and practiced stuff we messed up the night before, and the crew watched or helped with anything that needed to be done. Then, around five-ish, we started the run-throughs, and we went through the whole show and then helped undress.”

These hours of work eventually paid off to create a show that wowed the audience. Hadestown, in particular, is considered a hard production to produce and gain rights to, especially with it being still on Broadway. However, the cast and crew put together a show that conveyed a powerful ending message.

“My favorite moment in the play is the end because even though there is a sad ending, it is very hopeful. It helps us realize that sad things do happen, but we have to move on,” sophomore Abby Kate Jackson said. 

Since this production is a fairly difficult one, each part of the drama department had their own struggles throughout the process. Senior Kensie Waller, who plans to major in theater in college, shares one of her challenges she faced while performing.

“The cast and crew are like two sides to the same big family. Each has their own challenges that the others don’t understand, but we are brought together through love and passion for the show,” Waller said. “I play Eurydice in our teen edition of Hadestown. I’ve never sung by myself in front of an audience, so being a lead role with many solos was definitely challenging, skill-wise and confidence-wise.”

While the actors faced challenges to overcome, such as overcoming stage fright or having to remember all of their lines and cues, the crew also has their own set of difficulties that are specific to behind the scenes.

“Something difficult for me is trying to take on a leadership role and making sure I help the actors as much as I can. I try to make sure everything is ready so the actors can have a great show,” junior and stage manager, Camille Cross said.

With behind-the-scenes responsibilities and the excitement of performing, the production allows actors and crew members to contribute in multiple ways, highlighting both the effort required and the chance for everyone to shine on stage.

“Hadestown has a really good message to it, and I think since the cast doesn’t have to be super big, it’s great for a school of our size because we don’t have a ton of people who do theater,” Jackson said. “We’ve got a lot of really strong singers and dancers, so it’s just a great opportunity where everybody gets to be on stage and get to show off their talents.”

Working together and getting the chance to perform really brings the cast closer and creates new friendships and relationships. This bond makes it easier to connect with their characters and show the emotions of the story.

“I personally think this is a talented group of people, and because we are so close and emotionally vulnerable with each other, our characters are too, and I think that sums up Hadestown as a whole,” senior Alexis Origbe said. “I wouldn’t choose any other group of people to act in such an amazing musical with.”

While spending hours working with each other, actors and crew members have created bonds and connections that really help bring the show to life. Even with the cast and crew being on different sides of the production, they work together through their passion for the theater industry.

“I hope the audience feels a sense of hope and warmth, and knows that the end of something doesn’t mean it’s not the beginning of something else, or in this case, it is the retelling of something beautiful,” Origbe said.