By:  Caleb Sopher

The stage is set, curtains pulled, and as the light fades, the annual Tussey Mountain musical begins. It’s that time of the year again. This year’s choice is Into the Woods. The stress levels are on the rise and the curtains are closing in. Sophomore Dylan Stone and Junior Kieran Gresko had much to say about their stress levels and experiences throughout the years. Gresko has been acting in plays for 7 years and Stone for 4 years. Time runs short for drama people; Gresko says, “Typically practices are two and a half hours long.” In that time, drama members work on the dance routines, scenes, and memorize lines.

The light doesn’t only shine on the stage, it also reflects on a student’s grades. Gresko made it clear that grades are very important for the play. He explains, “Grades are affected not because we are busy, but we are pressured to do better because if we fail a class, we could be ineligible for the show.” Students depend on each other to work hard in the classroom and on the set to remain eligible just like sports.

There is no play if there is no stage to act upon. The set crew builds, paints and eventually deconstructs the set. Sophomore Amelia Dibert has 3 years of experience on the set crew. Spending hours at school on a Saturday for set-creation is time consuming, but Dibert explains the schedule.  “Fridays are 6pm-10pm and Saturdays are 1pm-10pm, after the 9am to noon rehearsal. Including the practice itself, I work 13 hours.” She explains her weekend time disappears quickly, “It’s always a rush to get homework done.”

The time for the show is fast approaching, and the actors and crew are on edge. It’s not always easy working with others.  Stone explains, “Fights do happen and are resolved; what’s a crew when we are all fighting? Some people do better than others, but you have to work together as a team.” Drama club is currently working on Act II.

Stepping into the light and having every eye on you would immediately turn some people off. As Stone says, “Before I joined Drama, I was insecure about myself.” For anyone who may want to participate in Drama Club, the door is wide open to you. You may ask, “What if I’m too shy or not confident enough?” Gresko states, “I would highly encourage anyone to join Drama Club. Come to a practice sometime. Audition because you might not know it now, but you might love it.” You will never know until you try.  

“The graveyard is the richest place on earth because it is here that you will find all the hopes and dreams that were never fulfilled, the books that were never written, the songs that were never sung, the inventions that were never shared,” stated Les Brown. 

The drama wheel keeps turning and the show must go on. For the Tussey Mountain Drama Club, the curtain goes up at 7:30 pm on March 6 & 7, with a matinee performance Sunday, March 8 at 2:30pm.