On a cold winter Saturday morning, the theatre department is at work: the sound of choreography can be heard as feet dance across the stage, sewing machines gently roar as scraps of fabric are transformed into beautiful costumes, voices echo about as actors and actresses continuously rehearse their songs and dialogue, and the sounds of construction can be heard as a stage is being transformed into 1950’s New York: a show is created.

In just the past decade the theatre program has immeasurably grown providing an environment for all students to work together to reach their own personal heights.

“Theater is like a second family that will always be there and you can always turn to. It’s a group effort: it never falls on just one actor or director or one tech member,”  sophomore, Ashlyn Nance who plays a gambler and friend of Adelaide stated. “When we work together and perform on that stage, it’s magic.”

Theater has also been proving to positively impact the lives of students in more ways than one. Academically, students involved in theatre have been proven to score higher on standardized tests and increase reading comprehension. Also, the involvement in the theater arts has been linked to lowering anxiety levels, giving students a platform for self-expression, and providing life skills for success.

“Theater is the biggest part of my high school life,” senior, Riley Peacock, who plays Arvide Abernathy said. “Theater has allowed me to overcome most obstacles because I always have an army to back me up and give me excellent advice whenever I’m not sure what to do.”

Although being a part of theater causes students to challenge themselves through balancing school and their theatrical engagements, thespians learn to work to improve both themselves and the group as they work together because a show is not made of only one role, but instead a collaboration of actors, technicians, directors, and many hours of hard work and dedication.

“Theater has definitely pushed me out of my comfort zone, building a bigger area where I am more comfortable on stage becoming a completely different person, transforming to tell a story,” junior, Lauren James who plays Sarah Brown said. “By pushing myself and having teachers that push me, my confidence levels have skyrocketed since freshmen year. You are connected to the outpouring of art.”

In adolescence one of the greatest struggles faced is in attempting to discover a person’s identity. But through theater, a person is surrounded with a community of people who all share a common goal. By stepping out of a comfort zone and challenging one’s self to follow passions, a person is  able to find themselves in the stories of others.

“Theater is a safe space for me as well as many others,” Nance said. “It’s a place where you can let go and be free of judgment, and in today’s society, that’s something that is hard to find.”

In the fall, the theater technical classes organized a Haunted House for the local community. And later in the spring the theatrical department will continue their work competing in UIL One Act and also hosting senior directed shows. But this is all credited to the dedication of the entirety of the Theatre Department.

“My favorite part about the WHS Theatre department is probably the opening the show,” Riley Peacock said. “There is so much magic and adrenaline in everyone that causes all of us to bond over a mutual passion. The WHS Theatre Department is just a name for so many different people who come from all different walks of life and become a family.”

On the 19th of January, the curtain will raise and months of hard work, dedication, and passion will all come to unravel a story of New York during its golden age, but also a story of all kinds of people coming together and uniting in the expression of art in its truest and most powerful form.

“It[Guys and Dolls] is a classic that has survived all this time. The music is wonderful, very intricate and every cue is placed so that the actors and orchestra together make music,” James stated. “The plot is sure an outstanding characteristic, all about learning how to truly live life with no regrets, finding oneself and persevering when all the chips are against you, and learning that you can’t help love, that’s it’s a voice you simply can’t ignore.”