As the lights dimmed, and the curtains begin to open, the Etowah drama department performed this year’s One Act, Over the River and Through the Woods to great success.  

“I loved how you could tell how much time and effort was put into the costuming, set design, dialect of the characters, and overall performance. My good friend Duke Jenkins was in it, so seeing him was my favorite part… I was so impressed with all of the actor’s performances! They really made you laugh and cry all in one act,” Sophia Younts, sophomore, said.  

Junior Jacob Adams played leading character, Nick, and joining him on stage was sophomore Duke Jenkins as Frank, junior Beth Leak as Emma, seniors Sebastian Piatt as Nunzio, Madison Jones as Caitlin, and Delaney Stemmerman as Aida.   

“The best part of performing is sharing the story behind the show and hearing the audience react to something we’ve spent countless hours working on to bring to the stage,” Adams said.  

This year’s stage manager, senior Molly Foster, was assisted by senior Hannah Gathercole and junior Michael Keeton. The three, along with drama teacher, Charolette Forrest, oversaw all production of the cast and crew.  

“There was more struggle because the old actors have left, and the new kids were confused on what to do. They weren’t sure how they fit into the department…but it made us remember that we are a family, and no matter what we do, we will always be there for each other,” Foster said.  

The hilarious and gripping One Act is about two loving sets of grandparents trying to keep their grandson close to home. The couples know the importance of keeping family close as they have seen their other family leave and rarely visit.  

“It’s really nice to see the kids in your class transform on stage,” Tina Parmar, literature teacher, said.  

The cast and crew will perform Over the River and Through the Woods at this year’s regional One Act competition at Cherokee High School Oct. 27. To raise money, the drama department performed its show during all lunches Oct. 22-24.  

“I feel amazing! It’s my first One Act competition and my first ever time being a main character. Even if we don’t make it to state, it was still such an honor to work with my amazing co-cast, and I will treasure this experience for the rest of my life,” Jenkins said.  

Students interested in joining the drama department can audition for this year’s spring musical Beauty and the Beast. Auditions start Nov. 26. See Forrest for more details.