Theatre seniors Allison Somes, Kayleigh Horstkamp, Ben Watters, Savannah Lillich, Sonny Mauldin, Cameron Hilliard, Kaleb Cole will direct the play “An Evening of Culture: Faith County II” by Mark Smith on May 14-16. 

“We’re excited to see all of the skills that we have given them to be passed onto the underclassmen,” theater director Kari McKenzie said. “For the past four years we have given the seniors all of the skills that they have needed to perform on stage, and now it will be interesting to sit back and see how they take those skills and apply them to others before they act and direct in college.”

Being the lead director of the play, Somes has big plans for the production. She plans to work with her peers in a way that can teach the newer students as much as she can before they take the lead next year. 

“I’m super excited to play a commanding role in this production,” Somes said.  “This play is really ridiculous and fun, with a lot of big characters that pose a fun challenge to us as directors.”

Students not only take the lead in acting, but set design as well. It will be completely student-designed and built, with that portion of the show directed by Watters. 

“The set is going to be pretty simple,” Watters said. “I’ve helped with set design before, and the main challenge of creating this set is going to be working with the cafeteria stage instead of the usual one that we work with.”  

The play is a play within a play about a small-town community theatre is producing Romeo and Juliet. The cast doesn’t have their lines memorized, and the set isn’t finished, but they keep trying.

“It’s a little nerve-racking,” Somes said. “We have such good directors, and to think that we are going to be in their shoes, directing those that we were just acting alongside is something that all of us are having a bit of trouble grasping, but are all excited for.”