By Angela Williams Glenn 
Coauthored by Emily McHugh
They rehearse all week, week after week, until the weeks stretch into months and the closer they get to opening night, the later the nights go.
There’s so much behind the scenes from the tech crew, costumes, choreography, director, art and stage design that goes into the production of the long-awaited annual high school musical.
For theater kids and those who grew up singing, dancing, and performing, the high school musical production is the first grand stage they aimed for since they first discovered the thrill of performing.
In today’s society, where such a profound importance is placed on youth sports and the young athletes who play the games, it’s easy to feel like creative and performing arts are overshadowed. To those artistic students whose passions are to create art, music, or theatrical scenes on stage, their roles are just as important as the starting quarterback on a Friday night under the lights.
The performing arts is also a way for kids who may not be athletic and are more reserved to shine and perhaps exude confidence they once struggled to show. Just like high school athletes, their dedication to putting in countless hours in preparation becomes more than apparent on opening night.
Because finally it’s the week of the show—the curtain rises, the lights hit the stage, and all those late nights were well worth it.
Just as exciting as one of the high school’s sports teams making it to a state championship, the musical theater season creates a huge buzz around the school and community. Posters promoting the show pop up all over town, and word spreads on social media encouraging students and adults alike to fill the audience and be captivated by the talent on stage.
The high school performer stands on that stage in front of more than their parents and grandparents; their peers and their community excitedly buy tickets to see the annual high school production too. Locals look forward to checking out new talent on the stage, and some come to watch their favorite performers take the stage for the last time during their senior year.
If you’ve ever sat in the audience of a high school musical, the talent will leave you awed and inspired. Whether it’s the singing or the dancing or the acting, those kids will sweep you away and into their storyline.
From opening night to closing night, it leaves those “theater nerds” who might have taken a while to find their niche feeling like they found their place to shine. The support and excitement over one another’s displays of talent is obvious to everyone involved, and the family created in a theater group is the kind of high school memory that will last a lifetime.
And when that final bow takes place, you’ll be on your feet wishing the show didn’t have to end.
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