On March 12, Salisbury High School Theatre was hit with some devastating news on their opening night. After three months of long rehearsals, six days a week, their beloved show “Into the Woods” had been postponed with no definitive confirmation if they would ever be able to perform this piece of art for the community.

After receiving this news (and crying a little), the Salisbury Theatre staff and cast came together via Zoom to brainstorm ways to either put on “Into the Woods” or continue to make art during quarantine as a means of expression and coping. The cast was able to make short compilation videos from rehearsals and record themselves singing songs from “Into the Woods” as well as from other Broadway shows.

In May, Salisbury High School Theatre was given an amazing opportunity to participate in a recorded reading of Joe Calarco’s “Winter Break;” Calarco was in the process of writing/finishing his piece and wanted to hear it read in the voices of high school students to properly embody his high school characters. Several months later, still in question on what the theater group could do for their fall season, the completed “Winter Break” came to mind.

This fall, Salisbury Theatre will perform “Winter Break” by Joe Calarco. This show takes the audience through a journey into several high schoolers’ lives as they begin winter break and find their stories intertwining. The theater group will rehearse, via Zoom, up until tech week. During tech week and during performance, they will be socially distancing and wearing masks and/or face shields. Those who desire to support the theater group as well as see live performances again in a safe and healthy way, can purchase tickets online and watch a recording of the play Dec. 17 and 18, from the comfort of their home.

As of now, Salisbury High School Theatre meets weekly Tuesdays and Wednesdays, via Zoom, for rehearsals and lessons on theater history as well as exercises to improve in character development, script analyzation, performance, etc. They will begin rehearsals for “Winter Break” shortly; if you know of a student (or are a student) who is interested in joining the Salisbury High School Theatre, participating in crew or participating in the behind-the-scenes action, please reach out to Will Erwin or myself. We would be ecstatic to have an addition to the theater family.

Theater and the performing arts are such an amazing outlet for students and viewers. This form of art allows for students to express themselves, find friendship and comfort in others who have similar interests as themselves and have a sense of belonging in this chaotic world. The arts were needed then and they are even more needed now. Please, if you have the means to or have it in your heart to support the theater group by participating in our fundraisers or purchasing tickets to come to see our shows, it is beyond appreciated.

We would love to continue to make art for ourselves as well as for you. That’s all for this week; stay tuned for more student news.