Everyone loves a good show, and it appears that Warwick High School is prepared to deliver a performance filled with hard work, laughs and lots of love.

"Thoroughly Modern Millie" will hit the stage Friday, March 19, and the cast and crew are more than excited.

"Millie is a 'modern' girl in 1922, basically a flapper with a mission, explained senior Natalie Rothenberger, who plays Millie. "She is very determined to get herself a husband instead of waiting around for one, so she goes to New York after living in Kansas, and gets a job as a stenographer. She hopes to marry her boss but he ends up seeing her as just one of the 'guys.' She is so set on this plan that when love hits her in the face she doesn't know how to react at first, and the drama of the show reveals her trials with love."

The production is filled with humor and, for that reason, there are many moments throughout during which "even the actors have a hard time keeping a straight face," according to Natalie.

There are some serious moments, though, as the storyline tackles the the topic of girls being sold into white slavery.

Effectively portraying the time and the story is not just up to the actors. No matter how eager the actors and actresses are to get on stage, they cannot do it without all of the backstage help they receive, and they graciously acknowledge this fact.

"We have a great cast and a wonderful group of directors, set builders, costume designers and seamstresses, it's just a wonderful community that is working together to put on what will be a great production," Natalie said.

The set builders and seamstress are most often helpful, and countless supportive parents dedicate hours of their time to assist. But it is not only the parents who get involved in the dirty work. The stage crew is made up of students who have the responsibility of clearing the stage, preparing the scenery and, oftentimes, helping the actors and actresses with costume changes.

Student stage manager Kyle Wolf, a junior, thoroughly enjoys the hard work.

"I personally love stage crew," Kyle said. "It gives me a chance to work with a team in order to meet a common goal."

Theater is also a great opportunity to hang out with friends, which is one of the reasons, Jack Meter, also a junior, enjoys the time he puts into stage crew. "Though the atmosphere is fun," he said, "the stage crew has to always be on top of things."

"The hardest part of being on crew is that I have to be at the top of my game and know when and where everything is supposed to happen, and be able to get my stage right crew to be ready to move," said crew member Caitlin Butter, who is responsible for the crew positioned on the right side of the stage. "I also have to deal with any last-second changes the directors make, which can be a bit of a hassle."

Another very important aspect of a musical is its music. The actors and actresses sing and are impeccably accompanied by the pit, made up entirely of fellow classmates. And, like their peers on stage, pit musicians must commit hours of their time to perfecting their arrangements.

"We start out practicing twice a week, but it increases more and more as it gets closer to the show. We missed a few rehearsals because of the snow so we're making them up on days we weren't supposed to have practice," Betsy Smith, a flute player, said.

"We have about 20 people led by Mrs. Ann Ahlers and Miss Sherry Kline, the instrumental music teacher at the elementary schools. The pit is a great way to be part of the production without being on stage. It's more laid back and a ton of fun for the students," Betsy added.

"I enjoy working with a smaller ensemble than a full symphony orchestra. I like musicals because of the stories that are told through music," Ahlers said.

The musical at work is like a spider's web. So many different strands need to come together in such an intricate manner to make it a work of art. Though it takes the students and their directors so many hours of their time to perfect it and make it flow smoothly, by opening night the audience can be sure that they will be blown away by the immense talent and wonderful theatrics that await them.

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