Over the past couple years, theater students have been stuck on a rocky road. They have experienced several changes in the program; having teachers switched each year and having a brand new group of students has been difficult for the few students who have been along for the entire bumpy ride. The changes have brought upon waves of instability to the young actors and actresses, making them question the future of Lugo’s stage.

In the time that theater has had this year to create and share productions with the student body of Lugo, they have had resounding applause with each amazing show. The participation and diversity in theater is at an all time high compared to the previous years. The new director, Mrs. Deming, highly regards the students as being “so diverse, they don’t fit the mold of what we think that ‘drama’ or ‘theater kid’ looks like or acts like. There’s such a mixture of kids in that group, and I think that uniqueness plays a part in showing the student body how entertaining they are.” Many more students have decided to eagerly join in on the casts and crews, and even more have desperately been awaiting to attend each event.

The new theater director, Mrs. Deming, has made a bold step into the new waters of the program. Creating a program from an almost-blank slate, she decided to take a step back and try to find a new take on how she should present the program. Almost opposite from previous years of instruction, Deming has decided to place much of the creativity and direction into the hands of the young actors and actresses. Deming defines this idea as being “actor’s choice,” where each student is given the freedom to make their own decision about how to perform a certain role or action. If an actor or actress rehearses something or recites a line in a way that just does not fit what Deming is looking for, she refrains from telling them how to perform. Instead, she asks them to “make a different choice.” Through this, theater participants have noticeably become much more interested and excited to perform.

Much of theater, throughout centuries, has been about formal acting and “true drama,” whether its considering Shakespeare-esque theater or a seriously dramatic monologue. As centuries have passed, people have become less interested in seeing “drama.” Something that has been a presiding factor in Deming’s plan for theater is relevancy, as she wants Lugo to truly share interest in what they’ll perform. Trying to steer away from performing shows that students have no desire to see, both the director and students have put in serious thought into choosing what to perform. Most of the performances have been centered around more modern ideas and interests, and the comedy fits this generation as well!

The drastic changes in theater have been experienced first hand by students, but mostly by students that have been involved for years. One of these actresses, Hannah Bennett, has had an incredible experience with theater, and has truly let it into her heart. Beginning as a crew member in her freshman year, she has risen to become an actress in each of this year’s productions. To her, being able to be involved in theater is “freeing, [because] you get to be a different person for some time.” Even through the difficulties in the past years of theater, she has gladly stuck around. So far, this year of theater has been her favorite under the direction of Mrs. Deming; Hannah believes that with her at the helm, theater will go very far in the future and will be remembered, and this is only the beginning where the curtains are drawn.