The stage is dimly lit as students at Aubrey High School prepare for their production of “'Til Death Do Us Part,” a murder mystery.
It’s the first production of the school year, and tickets for opening night are sold out.
This marks the Aubrey theater department’s third year doing a murder mystery with dinner, and the plot involves an island wedding.
Tensions run high between the bride and the groom’s feuding families, and suspicion intensifies as wedding guests are mysteriously killed.
In the interactive play, audience members double as wedding guests and are encouraged to participate in the celebrations.
Midway through, they search for clues around the stage to help detective Miss Peabody, played by sophomore Samanta Garcia Esteva, answer her questions, piecing together the crime to discover “who done it.”
“I really liked it when the audience got to help out,” said Emily Rome, the high school theater teacher. “And so this year, I was specifically looking for plays that encourage the audience to participate, and this is the script that popped up.”
The cast contained a mix of new and veteran actors, all of whom share the same love of theater.
The students had about a month to prepare for their debut, but for senior Lorenzo Hernandez, that time was cut in half.
Going from crew member to a leading role as “Herbert,” the father of the groom, this was Hernandez's first-ever theater production.
When he was offered the position as an understudy, Hernandez was in shock.
“Mrs. Rome came up and asked me to do it in between classes,” he said. “And I was just frozen for about a second. And I'm really glad I said yes.”
Hernandez credits his family and classmates with his comfort level in adjusting to the role.
“I love every single one of them,” he said. “They're all fantastic people.”
He shared that sentiment with fellow senior, Skyler Ramsey, who got emotional speaking about her classmates, friends and beloved teacher, Rome.
“Within the first week or so of rehearsals, you get to … know them like family, and as time goes on, you get—you grow very attached to some of these people.”
Although the curtains have closed on “’Til Death,” the cast and crew have already started rehearsals for their next show, “‘Twas The Night Before Columbus Day,” which premieres Dec. 4.
For the students, the excitement of what’s to come is palpable because many are eager to return to the stage.
“Theater is one of the most welcoming communities I've ever been in,” Rylyn Collins said. “And I've been in so many different clubs and activities. And this one has always been my home.”
“I'm so confident in them … that I just can sit backstage and not worry about it and know that they're doing what they need to do,” Rome said.
And for a mostly student- led production, they handled it.
From lighting designers to sound designers, stage managers, costume designers, waiters/ waitresses, etc. Students filled in wherever staff was short-handed.
“It ended up being a fun way to get on stage and help people out with what they were eating and just be a part of the show,” said Brody Knoch, who doubled as a costume designer and waiter.
Along with the student contributions, parents also jumped in to help behind the scenes by donating, cooking and serving the food.
“The reason that we're able to do this, and those kids' hearts are so full, is because … the community comes and supports us,” Rome added. “We also have a very supportive administration, like Dr. Saylor was in the audience tonight. … Our admin team here at the high school, they come every night. Like there's a representation in [the Black Box theater] each night to let us know that we're supported and loved, and that is so rare in the fine arts world in schools.”
