Leonard Auditorium at Hamilton Southeastern
The stage is empty, the curtain collects dust, the lighting booth remains locked, and the seats fill only with students taking classes. What in the world is a high school student, destined for the stage, supposed to do when there are no shows to rehearse for or perform? For Loren Ferreira, a senior at Hamilton Southeastern High School in Fishers, Indiana, in this downtime it is important for her to focus on everything that gets pushed to the side when a show is in progress; namely, schoolwork.
Ferreira got involved in theater at HSE last year and has found it to be an incredibly rewarding undertaking. It is like being involved in a sport, but there is less likelihood for injury and the costumes are much better. In fact, it was the costume department that first attracted her to this extra-curricular activity. A long-time fan of creating and designing her own clothing, as well as modifying that designed by others, Ferreira seems a natural match for this. While it sometimes is difficult to get all of her homework done while spending up to four hours a night (during tech week) in rehearsals, she thinks it is well worth it to be doing something she is so excited about. There is a significant change in the students involved in the theater production during this week; they enter classrooms with glazed eyes and a sluggish nature that speaks volumes about the amount of sleep they receive. However, it is all for the love of what they do. Though Ferreira knows that the upcoming theater season will be filled with sleepless nights and high tensions for everyone, it will also be filled with camaraderie and friendship and applause. At the end of the day this makes it all worth it.
As everyone who chooses to become a part of this elite group of students knows, there is much to learn about the world of High School Theater. But they also know that once they’re in, they’re in for life. They are forever tethered to their fellow artists with an unparalleled bond. If you’re more interested in theater at Hamilton Southeastern, auditions for the fall play are fast approaching and the show is set to take place on November 12, 13, and 14.
For more information on Hamilton Southeastern, visit their website here!
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