Cathryn Tuttle The Drama Club’s first ever holiday show, It’s a Wonderful Life, ran from December 1 through 3.

Led by Director Katie Buckley and Assistant Director Vanessa Clarke, the play follows George Bailey, a suicidal man, and his relationship with Clarence, his guardian angel who reveals to him the numerous people he has made an impact on throughout his life.

“We wanted to choose something with a really uplifting message and I think that’s really what’s at the heart of this play. Appreciating the things that we have and realizing that everyone has an important role in the lives of other people and we all, even though sometimes in this world we don’t think that we matter as much as we would like, we really do. I think George Bailey is the embodiment of that,” Clarke said.

The play was made up of two acts, with a ten minute intermission, lasting about an hour and a half in total.

“Opening night started out crazy. I had my mic on before the show and everyone could hear what I said during a private conversation. The play itself went really smoothly, even though part of the set broke and I couldn’t have been more proud of everyone,” senior Haik Semerdjian, who played Uncle Billy, said.

The production had three lead roles: George Bailey, played by junior Matt Plona; Mary Hatch Bailey, played by senior Noor Taweh; and Clarence Odbody, played by junior Aaron Robair.

“The lead role in this play is one that resonates with the audience. In a sense, she’s the heroine, always grounding George and helping remind him what he truly wants in life. I also thought her character would be a fun challenge; she is unlike any other character I have played,” Taweh said.

According to Buckley, this year’s cast was one of the largest with about 20 student actors and actresses. Students involved ranged in grade from freshmen to seniors, making the production all inclusive.

“The cast did an amazing job. They put on a great show and it was perfect for this time of year,” senior Natalee Meccariello said.

In addition to Buckley and Clarke, the production was run by stage manager and senior Catherine MacKay.

“I love that, as a stage manager, you get to make the show happen. Once the show starts, there is a part of it that is in your hands, and there is an exciting yet nervous thrill about that,” MacKay said.

After each scene, MacKay and the stage crew were responsible for placing sets and preparing each scene. Rather than closing the curtain, Buckley and Clarke had the stage crew wear black clothing and chose to dim the lights during these transitions. Students rehearsed four times a week for months prior to the show.

The drama club worked hand in hand with Audio Visual Director Evan Foreman and his students, applied arts teacher Kyle Bridgewater and art teacher Andrew Minor to produce and paint sets as well as coordinate lighting and sound for the production.

“Our goal was to produce a show that the community would recognize from the movie and enjoy. It’s a Wonderful Life is a very popular holiday movie, so we really wanted to capture the essence of the original production while still maintaining our own creativity,” Buckley said.

For many students in the program, this is the second, third, or even fourth high school play they have been a part of. The program is known for being a close-knit community.

“I adore the theater program because of its accepting nature. The theater program is home to many quirky, unique individuals and there’s a place for everyone. The cast becomes so close that we even experience some post-show separation depression,” Taweh said.

Although the school play has ended, the theater program will be putting on their annual musical this spring.

“This year we will be putting on Disney’s Beauty and the Beast and I am so pleased to share that I will be playing Belle. It will be the most incredible experience to end my high school theatre career with,” MacKay said.