It was a push like no other to finish all of the details for the two productions of Beauty and the Beast. After being off for Thanksgiving break, cast and crew came back to a five-hour rehearsal the last day of the break as well as rehearsals and set work all week after school. 

“I wasn’t sure if we were going to get it all done until we did,” director Melonie Menefee said. “Everyone worked together on that last day to make it happen – Mrs. V, the cast, the crew, and several teachers all pitched in, and it worked.”

The first show was on Thursday evening and went off without a hitch.

“This was my first ever musical,” sophomore Trinity Warner said. “I loved every minute of it; it was so much fun, and I got to make new friends throughout the play.”

The cast and crew started the show in September and had several weekend rehearsals as well as a lock-in to work on everything. 

“I love acting; it’s a part of my life, and I don’t know what I would do if I didn’t act,” sophomore Omar Almedia said. “This was by far my favorite musical we have ever done.”

After the show, all the actors came out for a character signing for all the kids and audience that wanted to meet the cast. 

“This one little girl ran up to me and hugged me and said, ‘that was the best show ever,’” senior Gina Jones said. “At that instant, everything we have worked for was all worth it.” 

Directors Menefee and Katie Villarreal were excited about how well the show turned out and how hard everyone worked to bring it together.

“This took everyone doing their part plus more to make everything happen the way it did,” Menefee said. “So many of these kids went above and beyond, and I couldn’t be prouder of how it turned out.”