HADESTOWN, the upcoming production from Community School of Davidson’s (CSD) own Theater Department, is the result of months of hard work and was made possible through great effort from all involved.
A lot goes into creating rich and detailed productions at CSD and it all starts with the vision of the show’s director, Melissa Ohlman-Roberge.
She then communicates her designs to the head of Technical Theatre, Lucas Devore, who works with the director and his own class to bring the show to life.
The first part of production is mostly down to the actors, who diligently practice their lines and songs while learning their choreography.
As production continues, the technical crew becomes more and more involved with the show’s production. The crew works around the clock on painting and building the sets even outside of school hours.
The weeks before a theatrical production’s opening night are filled with anticipation from fans and actors alike. As show dates draw closer, cast and crew work together to bring the show to life. There are many moving parts to a theatrical production and the technical side has a lot of dedication and hard work behind it.
On opening night, the cast and crew’s hard work finally pays off as the lights dim and the show begins.
According to the crew of HADESTOWN, it is a unique production for several reasons.
The cast and crew provide multiple different perspectives on this subject.
“There is music playing constantly, whether instrumental or sung, which isn’t often seen in a musical. Usually you have breaks and dialogue and then the actors will burst into song, but HADESTOWN is different in that there is almost always music,” said stage manager Lola Smith (‘26).
This element adds a level of artistic expression to the production that is not often seen in other musicals.
The set-building and design is another element that sets HADESTOWN apart from other productions. Production/Technical Director, Lucas Devore, reveals that one of the set pieces has movement and interaction incorporated into it. Rather than actors interacting around it as with other sets in the past, a piece of the set actually moves.
HADESTOWN is also “a very recent high school production, just released for high school theatre,” said Devore.
With such a new high school theatrical production, hopes are high among cast and crew members that HADESTOWN will soar.
HADESTOWN was built by a lively, dedicated crew and will be performed by an enthusiastic high school cast.
HADESTOWN consists of ten shows. The production opens Thursday, September 19th, and runs through Sunday, September 22nd. It then continues on the 25th and runs through the 29th with five additional shows.
Tickets are available at $15 per adult and $10 per student. The show is best for grades 6+.
