Liza Hoa '27 < Back Syd Watts: finding your breakout moment Liza Hoa '27 Nov 15, 2024 In the vast sphere of high school theater, it's usually the performers that tend to shine in the limelight. However, behind every show is a dedicated crew working relentlessly to bring each scene to life. Amongst these individuals, an important figure is definitely Syd Watts '25. Watts did not start their high school career intending to join the Mercersburg Tech Crew. Watts, said, "Despite having done a little bit of tech crew in middle school, I didn't think I was going to pursue it in high school. In fact, I actually started out my Mercersburg experience doing field hockey my very first term, but then in the winter I decided to do it and I haven't looked back since." Since then, they have become an indispensable member of Mercersburg Academy's Tech Crew, refining their talents, and, most importantly, growing from a shy and quiet freshman to a confident and experienced senior. Watts believes being promoted to stage manager was their breakout moment: "It was a really big role that i had to fill. The previous stage manager was Ellie Miller '23, who stage-managed for three out of four years here, so I kind of took over for her when she left. But, it was a huge honor to be able to fulfill that role and be trusted to do a good job with it." As stage manager, Watts works very closely with the actors of Stony Batter directing taking blocking and line notes, and sending reminders for lights and sound cues. Nearing important rehearsal days that can last up to a rigorous twelve hours (such as the long weekend before Puffs ), the challenge of the job is to bring everyone together - a labor of love that pays off in the end. Besides their impressive technical skills, Watts' general leadership and work ethic have defined the culture of the Stony Batter Tech Crew. "I love Syd. Honestly, Syd has been just a blessing to the department and to Stony Batter. I hope that they would impart upon other kids who want to be stage managers-everything that they know-so we can have more like Syd. They're one of my favorite people, and I will miss them crazily when they go, especially because they're such a big part of my Mercersburg experience," said Jessica Doubell, Center Director of Operations. Watts credits most of their personal growth to Doubell, who has acted as a supportive mentor or them throughout the years. "Mrs. Doubell's been a huge light in my life. She's one of the happiest people on campus and makes me smile whenever I see her. And also, she's taught me basically everything I know," stated Watts. The aptitude that Watts' has for Tech Crew goes beyond a high school hobby; it shapes their career path. They said, "I'm for sure pursuing stage management in college. My portfolio is currently underway. And, I actually just came from touring a college, so hopefully, I get into a place with an amazing theater program and alumni network like Penn State." Previous Next

Dean Tae '24 < Back Spirit of Football Dean Tae '24 Sep 16, 2022 On September 9, Mercersburg Academy welcomed the Spirit of Football, a nonprofit group that uses the universal language of soccer to promote and teach their values through a special piece of sports equipment that they affectionately call “The Ball.” Dedicated to the initiatives of climate action, gender equality, and fairplay, The Ball has traveled around the globe, stopping in more than 25 countries thus far . As they travel, they invite supporters to share the commitment to their initiatives by heading and signing The Ball. Even before Mercersburg community members lined up to take their turn at a head pass, The Ball had well over one thousand signatures. The Spirit of Football began their work in 2002, attending the Men’s FIFA World Cup in Japan and South Korea, bringing The Ball with them. These upcoming trips to the 2022 Men’s FIFA World Cup in Qatar and the 2023 Women’s FIFA Worldcup in Australia and New Zealand will mark The Ball’s sixth journey around the world. Concurrent with the visit of The Ball, Mercersburg hosted the annual Nancy Horton Heefner Show. T he Historical Society initiated the show in commemoration of Nancy Horton Heefner, its former vice president and a member of the Mercersburg Women’s Club. The was the first show since 1919 to be held in person. The focus of this year’s show, One Ball, One World, drew inspiration from the initiatives of the Spirit of Football. Artwork submissions were open to all artists, both those from campus and the larger community. Leah Willis ‘24 was one of many to submit her artwork. “It was a very unique and quite intriguing show to participate in,” Willis said. Sydney Caretti, arts teacher and Director of Galleries, worked tirelessly for several months to bring One Ball, One World to Mercersburg Academy after Dr. Karli Richards ‘97, a Chambersburg orthopedist and a graduate of Mercersburg Academy, referenced The Ball during one of their appointments. Richards currently serves as the ambassador for The Ball in the United States. “The altruistic nature of the mission of Spirit of Football and their initiatives is connected with the Green Team and Community Engagement,” said Caretti. Aiming to call attention to meat consumption, the Green Team worked with the dining hall staff to serve vegan shepherd’s pie for lunch last Friday. Community Engagement met with Spirit of Football at a Dreams for Kids DC event over the weekend and played soccer with disabled youth. The messages of both One Ball, One World and the Nancy Horton Heefner show fit seamlessly together to offer a unique show centered around gender equality, climate justice, and fairplay, inviting members of the community to come together to consider Mercersburg Academy’s values, Hard Work, Fair Play, Clean Life. Previous Next

Gigi Devlin ‘24 < Back What do you put on your bagel? Gigi Devlin ‘24 Jan 27, 2023 Everything Everywhere All at Once is the best movie of 2022. The film, follows a middle-aged Chinese American as she is transported into the multiverse while having to deal with taxes and familial problems in her own universe. It easily crept its way into my top 10 movies of all time. Missing the film’s original theatrical run while at school, I lost track of it on my movie radar. When I returned home for summer break three months after its release, however, it was impossible for me to miss this movie. One of my closest friends had already seen it in theaters 5 times over the past months and raved about it constantly. When I found out it was playing at a local movie theater for one night only, I immediately bought my tickets and cleared my Saturday night plans. I’m so glad I did because Everything Everywhere All at Once was made to be watched on the big screen, packed with special effects and stunning visuals. The film is the most unique film I’ve ever seen. No other movie has made me cry over a scene of just two rocks or made taxes seem romantic. The powerful performances are everything. Michelle Yeoh delivers a strong and heartfelt performance, Stephanie Hsu made me laugh and then made me cry, Ke Huy Quan gets the return to acting he deserves, and seeing Jamie Lee Curtis as an evil IRS agent is hilarious. Story-wise, the film, like any multiversal movie, is everywhere, jumping from one plot line to the next: from a universe where humans all have hot dogs for fingers to a universe that has a plot similar to Ratatouille except with a raccoon. The film has basically every universe you can think of. It made me feel every emotion all at once, truly fulfilling its title. I couldn’t stop laughing at the interactions between hot dog-fingered Yeoh and Curtis, and then 20 minutes later I was crying at Hsu’s deeply emotional confession to her character’s mother. “I'm tired. I don't want to hurt anymore and for some reason when I'm with you, it just hurts the both of us.” Her character exclaims to her mother with whom she has been fighting throughout the film. Ultimately, it is a story about family relations: their highs and lows. The movie tugged at my heartstrings and even when rewatching it during ASU movie night, I still cried 3 times. Everything Everywhere All at Once is not afraid to be honest, something more movies today need to accomplish. The film proves that not all blockbuster movies full of fight scenes and visual effects are emotionless commercial nightmares. Unsurprisingly, it is the big winner in the race for Oscar nominations. Previous Next

Sofia Martin '26 < Back Sleighing it Sofia Martin '26 Dec 8, 2023 It’s that time of the year again: the annual Christmas Dance is just around the corner. For over ten years, students have been gathering every holiday season to watch their peers dance in the festive performance. Former Director of Dance Denise Dalton initiated the tradition. This year, a surprise is in order as the dance team is debuting new choreography and music. For the first time since its origin, the dance has changed. Maggie Coors ‘25 said, “The holiday dance has been the same for a very long time, and we are thrilled to give it a revamp.” Traditionally, the dance takes place directly after the holiday dinner celebrated at a family-style meal. “Usually everyone crowds into the student center, and there are chairs set up all around the fishbowl. The dancers are together in the middle, and face each side during the performance,” said Kaiya Hoffman, another dancer. The preparation for the performance occurs in the few weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas break. Stella Johnson ‘25 said, “We start with an audition and we decide the twelve or so people who get in. Usually, the captains take the lead in teaching the choreography to everyone else. Then, Ms. Rupp helps us clean and get everything organized, and we go out and do it.” “We have about two one-hour rehearsals to get it together and clean,” Hoffman said. “The style of dance is called precision dancing. It is very specific and requires perfect unison, so it takes a lot of focus and dedication from the dancers,” said Coors. She also noted that the dance is comparable to that of the famous Radio City Rockettes. Senior dancer, Cricket Tatone ‘24 said, “[This dance] gets me into the holiday spirit. When I think of the few weeks between Thanksgiving and winter break, my mind immediately goes to the Christmas dance. [I] can't imagine a holiday dinner without the excitement of performing afterward.” The Christmas dance serves as the bow that ties the weeks between the fall and winter break together. Previous Next

< Back Nude to figure drawing Jan 26, 2024 Each year the Advanced Studies Studio Art class takes a weekend trip to New York City. Offered exclusively to upper-middlers, this trip is designed to expose students to the life of an artist in a big city and prepare them to pursue art in college. A key event in the trip is a nude figure drawing class that introduces students to the traditional, unique subject matter of the human figure. Below are student reflections on the trip and their work. Collin Jin: “At first I thought being a model for figure drawing was super easy. You just have to stand there, but I found it is actually incredibly exhausting after I talked to some models. Twenty artists surround a single model and start drawing. All are different in their artistic approach to the figure. Each person has their own distinct style. I recognized the importance of embracing the diversity of my own artistic expression and becoming more confident in forming my style in accordance with my unique interests.” Grace Chi: “Having artists from a range of backgrounds and skill levels around me was a really cool and unique experience. Due to the fast pace of the class, my mindset stayed stagnant as I just wanted to keep drawing and not waste my time thinking. However, during the critique at the end, the art professor told me to work on thinking about why I create art instead of just on my technical skills, which definitely shifted my perspective. The class was such a good experience. When I came out, I genuinely felt like I could go in again for another 3 hours and have a blast. Having the time to study, to sit down to just see and draw with so many other artists, was so much fun.” Linden Wallace: “I thought [the class] was going to be more structured and lesson-like so it was surprising to me how freeform it was. Doing a gesture drawing for one minute makes you draw at such a simple level and I’ve found that it allows you to just draw what you see rather than what you think you see. I was a little nervous at first because people aren't my strong suit when it comes to drawing, but after getting there and being in the space, I wasn’t scared anymore. Everyone was focused on their own art, and when they weren’t, it was because they were telling another person how much they loved their drawings. It taught me a lot. I think drawing humans will come a lot more naturally to me now.” Sophie Sun: “The figure drawing class was something rather new to me. Although I had done some live figure drawing over the summer, this was a very different experience and I was able to get much closer to the model and see a lot more. It was also fun to see not only my classmates but professional artists draw live. This class gave me the time and opportunity to do a lot more art than I would have, and I think I've been able to grow my artistic abilities a little because of it” Previous Next

Sarah Ali ’25 < Back Won’t “Chiu” look at her go! Sarah Ali ’25 May 16, 2025 By the time the lights dim and the curtain rises, Crystal Chiu '25 has already done more than most audience members will ever know. Whether she’s belting a show-stopping number as Catherine of Aragon in Six or meticulously commanding the lightboard in the booth above, Crystal has spent her four years at Mercersburg Academy illuminating every corner of the Burgin Center for the Arts, both literally and figuratively. Her performance journey began long before Mercersburg. “I got into theater when I was four,” Chiu recalled with a fond smile. “My parents put me into Yip’s Children’s Choir, and I did really well, so they brought me into the musical theater department. I stayed in that company for a good ten years.” Years of rehearsals in Hong Kong, from weekend marathons to late weeknights, built not only her talent but her tenacity. That same drive carried across continents, all the way to Mercersburg. “She’s dedicated and has an excellent work ethic,” said Jessica Doubell, the Burgin Center Director of Operations. “She jumped in where help was needed and never waited to be told.” Her artistry extends beyond the spotlight. Her backstage story began with a spark of curiosity. “A teacher told us to explore the theater,” she recalled. “Everyone went backstage, but I walked up to a locked door in the audience section. When I found out it was the light booth, I immediately wanted in.” That same year, she began learning lighting design from her school’s IT department. Her lighting debut came with Little Shop of Horrors , a production she remembers fondly. “It was the first time I ran lights at Mercersburg, and Walt Dowling taught me so many things,” she said. “It was stressful, but thrilling. He pushed me to be my best.” Doubell still remembers that show: “Crystal, Sarah, and I choreographed dance moves during light load-in. Crystal ran the board like a pro. It was pure joy.” On stage, Chiu’s performances were just as impactful. Her role as Ocean in Ride The Cyclone was both bold and vulnerable, and her turn as Catherine of Aragon in Six was magnetic. “That show was special,” she recalled. “It was my last year, and I felt really close to the cast. Getting to choreograph with Keri-Ann and Manika was super fun. Intimidating, but fulfilling.” Director Matt Maurer praised her ability to balance work and joy. “One of her superpowers is knowing how to work hard and have fun at the same time,” he said. “She inspires others to do the same.” Chiu’s personal growth has been just as powerful. “Freshman-year me was definitely more insecure,” she said. “Now, I’m confident in what I can do. I’m okay with doing weird things on stage because I know I’ve worked hard. I’ve learned to recognize my strengths and weaknesses and grow from them.” Chiu remains uncertain about the specifics of her future, but one thing is unquestionable: performance will always be part of her life. “Even if things get uncertain, a stage, literal or metaphorical, is always there for me. Will this be my profession? Maybe. Who knows? But I won’t ever stop performing.” Doubell summed it up best: “Crystal is a true friend. When she loves you, she loves you. I was lucky to have her in tech crew and be part of her life these past four years. I’ll miss her greatly.” As the curtain falls on her time here, Chiu leaves a legacy that will shine for years to come: it’s one of passion, joy, and dedication that made every show better and every cast and crew feel like home. Previous Next

Sofia Martin '26 < Back Burgin Paper: resurrection Sofia Martin '26 Sep 29, 2023 This year, members of Mercersburg’s arts community have resurrected The Burgin Paper, a large sheet of paper located near the entrance to the Burgin Center for the Arts, on which any member of the Mercersburg Academy community can add art as they please. Or, they can respond to the weekly prompt, found on the Burgin Instagram page, @mburgburgin. Recent prompts have included “talk,” “beginning,” and “orgulloso,” for Latinx and Hispanic Heritage Month. (Orgulloso translates to “proud” in Spanish.) The Burgin Paper gives community members the chance to showcase masterpieces or notebook corner doodles. To some, the Burgin Paper is a new concept as it was originally created last year by Holden Walker ‘23 who “...wanted to do something that was large scale, but wanted it to be interactive,” according to Sydney Caretti, Director of Galleries. The idea for the Burgin Paper actually stemmed from graffiti and tagging culture, according to Kelly Dowling, Arts Department Head. “In 2017, I took students to England on a school trip, and one of the things we did was a graffiti tour and a graffiti workshop. I really loved how all the students, whether they identified as visual artists or not, got so excited about doing that work,” said Dowling, “When Holden Walker created the Burgin Paper, a couple of years ago, I kind of got that same feeling, that it opened up doodling and drawing to a bigger group of students than [would] sometimes take art classes.” Dowling’s hope for the resurrection of this is to unite the community through art. Caretti added that Walker wanted a way for students to tag on campus without getting in trouble. Dowling stated that her favorite aspect of the Burgin Paper is the unexpectedness of the posts. “You just can’t predict what people will put up there, so when people really surprise me with how they interpret the prompt and make me smile, that's what I like the best,” Indira Moshi ‘24 said. “[I enjoy that] everyone adds their own little bit of them to [the Burgin Paper] each day and seeing people add more and more,” said Caroline Hobbs ‘26, one of many students who have added flowers and line drawings. When considering the possibilities of the Burgin Paper, Moshi stated that making sure that people are keeping it classy is necessary as maintaining an appropriate nature was an issue the last time the Burgin Paper was open to students. Caretti said, “Let it evolve; time will improve the Burgin Paper.” The Art Department encourages all members of the community to add to the ever-evolving paper the next time they find themselves in the Burgin. Previous Next

< Back Calling the cue: Mufson’s next act Rebecca Liu ’29 Sep 18, 2026 This year, faculty emerita Laurie Mufson will return to campus to direct Stony Batter’s winter musical The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical . Prior to her retirement, Mufson served as Arts Department Chair, Director of the Burgin Center for the Arts, Director of Theatre, and Director of the Arts for 23 years. In that time, she was fully dedicated to Stony Batter, the Academy’s longest-running organization. Before her 2021 retirement, Mufson directed more than 60 productions, including the first Stony Batter performance staged in the newly built Burgin Center for the Arts. English and arts teacher Matt Maurer, who started collaborating with Mufson in 2001, said, “With the huge number of classes she taught, projects she oversaw, and many of the years leading up to and following the construction of the Burgin Center for the Arts, Mufson’s experience at Mercersburg allowed her to interact with students and inspire their enthusiasm in the world of acting.” With direction from not only a director but also a teacher, Stony Batter students will learn about the history of the Mercersburg theatre program and reap the benefits of instruction from a long-time professional. Despite her retirement, Mufson has maintained a close relationship with Mercersburg’s theatre program. Last spring, she contributed to Stony Batter’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream by leading the makeup and hair design for the actors. She returned to Mercersburg for that production with a focus on character-building. “I personally do research and help the actors do research,” Mufson said. “Everything I did [for that show] was character-based, but I did not want to impose my impression of different characters on the actors.” As an artist and a secondary school teacher who believes in lifelong learning, Mufson continues to be inspired by Stony Batter students’ commitment, curiosity, and joyfulness, the unique elements that enabled her to “learn from students and evolve as an artist” in her experience at Mercersburg. She also praised the student actors, emphasizing their talent: “They are willing to work on stories in other worlds and connect to their characters.” Mufson’s return to Mercersburg will spark new creativity among Stony Batter members. Maurer noted, “ A whole new generation of Stony Batter theatre students continue to be able to benefit from her talent, experience, and kind approach to all things theatre.” Previous Next

Karin Sugiyama '27 < Back JD Eicher inspires artists Karin Sugiyama '27 Apr 19, 2024 Renowned singer, songwriter, producer, and novelist, JD Eicher captivated his audience with a passionate performance at the Simon Student Center on Friday, April 14. Born in Youngstown, Ohio, Eicher began his musical career by performing in coffee shops and on campus during his college years at Westminster College in Pennsylvania. Reflecting on his journey, Eicher said “It was definitely harder then than it was now. I mean, I am used to the rhythm of it but at the time I had to deal with stage fright, and repertoire and having to have the right amount of songs and all those things. But I think just my desire to do it and my love for songwriting kind of overpowered the challenges to get rolling. I just wanted to do so badly that I kept going at it.” Eicher continued, “The biggest struggle, honestly is just keeping it going because for the very reason that your successes when they come, you have these small, little baby winds along the way that kind of keep it going. But most of the time, in my case, I drive for hours and hours to gigs and a very large percentage of the gigs aren’t going to be great shows, but you have to do them and cut your teeth and pay your dues and all that. I think the hardest part, the ongoing struggle, is just to keep going and not lose the joy in all that.” Eicher’s deep connection to and love of music were evident as he spoke: “I fell in love with music in general, just emotionally how it can kind of be an escape and for me, writing songs help me figure my own situations out. It is a good way to sort through whatever I am going through, and then I love the other side when you get to perform that song and hopefully somebody else connects with what you are saying. It’s kind of a magic in that.” On the day of the performance, many students gathered to listen to his remarkable voice. Among them, Coco Zhai ‘24 was mesmerized by his artistry. “It’s really amazing and his voice is really, really amazing. I just really appreciate how the school is getting all the really amazing local artists to come. And I think overall it is really chill; the vibe is really chill. Everybody enjoys it and it's an amazing place for people to hang out.” As a fellow artist, Zhai was appreciative of his talents: “His voice has a soothing factor to it and the way he sings is just very emotional, especially with acoustic guitar. So like whenever I see an artist I feel like it inspires me to be a better artist as well.” During the performance, Eicher played numerous songs, including originals and covers such as “Yellow” by Coldplay and “Fast Car” by Tracy Chapman. He also responded to several song requests from the audience, further enhancing the inviting ambiance of the event. Eicher’s performance left a lasting impression, showcasing his talent and passion for music while inspiring fellow artists to continue pursuing their creative pathways. Previous Next

Sophie Han '27 < Back Oh, word! Sophie Han '27 Oct 13, 2023 Known for its range of performances under soft lights and its comfortable cafe-like atmosphere, Spoken Word has become an opportunity for students to come together and enjoy a shared love of art. On Saturday, October 7, spectators and student performers convened in the Edwards Room for a night of poetry, music, short stories, and snacks. Michele Poacelli, the English department head and Writing Center Director, has worked with students to host Spoken Word in recent years. “You don’t always know what the kids can do, especially since there are not many chances to show them during day-to-day life of the school, so the most exciting thing about it [Spoken Word] for me is to see all the brilliance and spectacular magic the kids can do…My favorite part is always when the crowd is supporting the performers and friends on stage because they all recognize how nerve-wracking it can be performing in front of an audience, and it’s just very heart-warming to see how the community is understanding and supporting each other like this,” said Poacelli. Spoken Word brought a variety of performers to the stage, encouraging people to share their talents with a supportive crowd. “Judy Ma’s performance was the first dance that we ever had on our setlist, and I think it worked out incredibly well. It was super awesome that she had the courage to sign up for something completely new. I hope this can empower more people to be creative with their performances,” said Kevin Hang ‘24, one of the emcees. Mikahel Martinez-Arocho ‘25 said, “Singing is not what I usually do in public, and I was really nervous. So singing in a small and safe space like this with my friends cheering for me was honestly much better than any other platform I can imagine. And honestly, as I got through the song, I got more comfortable with it, so I forgot how nervous I was when I was at the most emotional part of it and just sang.” One of the audience members, Carrie Yang ‘27, said after the show, "Spoken Word depends on the wellbeing of the community, support, having the courage to perform, and the warmth of the audience to keep the performers going. And the overall atmosphere of coziness and comprehensive set up of the room inspired me to join Spoken Word for next season.” Previous Next

Maggie Coors ‘25 < Back Arting around Maggie Coors ‘25 Apr 21, 2023 Advanced Studies: Studio Art, taught by Sydney Caretti, is offered to students in grade 11. The studio course allows creative and motivated students to develop their artistic techniques in a variety of media. The class highly values the creative process, as well as the final works that the students create. Throughout the year, students record their process in a sketchbook and receive one-on-one feedback from their instructor, as well as group feedback from the other students in the class. Students challenge themselves by learning and exploring new art styles and media. Ivy Chan says, “Since my primary art form is photography, I struggled to draw and paint in class. That was a significant challenge at first, but Mrs. Caretti gave me the appropriate guidance. I also spent a lot of my free time investigating how to draw or paint, and I became better as I practiced more.” The class is a mix of instruction and individual student research. Caretti says, “It's a complete joy to witness the growth and confidence that these fine artists are able to achieve in such a short time all because of their artistic dedication, the incredible resources and facilities available to them, and the opportunities we make to gather as a group.” Students study art and artists throughout history and across different cultures, then create a piece of art that connects their research to their artwork. This gives students the incredible opportunity to develop and convey their individual artistic voices within a cultural context. Students practice constructive critiquing, learning the language and the analytical approach which they can use to evaluate their own work across the year. “These Excellent Eight are curious creatives who support and challenge one another in personal, visual expression. How lucky am I?!?!” Caretti asks. Along with learning and creating, studio art students have a lot of fun. “By request of the Excellent Eight, in the Fall and Winter Terms we had optional late-night evening meetings where the music is pumping and the creative energy is flowing getting the college vibe on!” Caretti says. And the learning is not confined to the classroom. “ My favorite part so far has been the trip to New York. We were able to explore galleries in New York, view an artist's apartment, and even attend a figure drawing class; all of which I would not have had access to had I not joined the class. Also, since it's such a small class, we've each been given more direct attention from Mrs. Caretti, who always gives incredible feedback,” says Erica Sowah. Unlike many art options available at Mercersburg Academy, AS Studio Art is for those artists who intend to continue their work beyond high school. “Overall, I love the class because it is a year-long art class, meaning we have a full school year to learn more about ourselves and our individual art styles, which is something that we can take with us after the school year has ended,” says Sowah. The class was open to 8 students this year but is expanding to 10 students next year. Before taking this class, students must have completed the second level of a visual art class and must receive department approval. Current lower-middlers and juniors should definitely consider taking the class when they can. “ I was really into arts and design and had taken a lot of visual classes at that time, so I decided, why not join!” says Ivy Chan. Previous Next

Maggie Coors ’25 < Back Riding the Cyclone Maggie Coors ’25 Feb 16, 2024 Last weekend, Mercersburg Academy’s Stony Batter Players performed the musical Ride The Cyclone. The show's lead actors included Keri-Ann Denis ’25, William Tutt ’25, Crystal Chiu ’25, Finn McNeil ’26, Janie Miller ’26, Fynn Poulsen ’26, and Ary Small ’27, along with a talented cast of ensemble members. The show depicts a high school choir group that takes a field trip to an amusement park and dies riding a roller coaster called the Cyclone. The start of the show takes place after they have already died, and a fortune teller decides to hold a competition in which the winner is revived. Each character performs a hilarious song to explain why they should be the one to get a second chance at life. During the show, one of the main characters who lost her head during an previous roller coaster accident remains a mystery to the cast. This character, Jane Doe, played by Denis, displays an intrigue that adds a level of mystery to the plot. The show was extremely funny and entertaining. There was well-timed comedic dialogue and absurd musical numbers that kept the audience engaged throughout. One of the most interesting parts of the show is that all of the characters had unique characteristics and distinctive musical styles. Each character was perfectly cast. The actors did an incredible job of embodying their individual characters and were able to bring their roles to life. The production used aerial choreography to make the characters fly through the air, which added a level of complexity for the actors and crew, but brought the performance to another level and thoroughly impressed the audience. Denis in particular was able to do impressive aerial choreography while performing complicated vocals that left the audience in awe. During this, she even hung upside down while she sang! The costumes and set design worked well with the musical and it was clear that a lot of thought had gone into producing the show. My favorite part of the show was the musical numbers. The singing was skillful and the choreography and staging were extremely entertaining. As for the musical itself, I went into the show already knowing the plot, but I have heard from many people that it was hard to follow if you didn’t already have prior knowledge. Despite this, I thought that the show was very visually enjoyable and it was obvious that the cast and the crew had put an immense level of effort into it. Previous Next