The 2023 summer musical was The Wizard of Oz performed on June 22-25 in the Heider Center. The summer musical provides an opportunity for eighth graders to get a first experience of high school theater as well. It is also the last production in the graduates’ high school theater career. Throughout their career, the cast becomes a family. This impacts both upper and underclassmen. “I really believe that our cast is like a family. This was a show that I keep saying that my sister was on stage more than I was, because she was in so many different chorus numbers, and everyone kind of had their own equal opportunity,” said Sophomore Syd Martin. “Even if they didn’t have a bunch of solos or a bunch of speaking lines, everyone got their chance to kind of shine individually, and I really liked that.”
Even newcomers are accepted into the family quickly. Mrs. Deal was onstage for a teacher feature in this performance. She says, “I will take away how wonderful people were to me, whether that was helping me practice choreography or complimenting my performance as well as the fun and energy of the show as a whole. I loved working closely with my students and feeling like a part of a team with them, and I will carry this feeling onward.”