Behind the bright lights of high school theater are long rehearsals and late nights that the audience never gets to see.
High school theater may look glamorous under the stage lights, but behind every performance is a major time commitment that many of the students have to balance along with their school work.
For one student actor, the weekly rehearsal schedule can add up quickly. “Almost like six… six to eight hours,” freshman Jayla Dever said when asked how much time she spends rehearsing each week. Those hours usually take place in the school’s theater/auditorium, where cast members practice choreography and run lines. The schedule can become even more intense during tech week, when rehearsals focus on lighting, sound, and full run-throughs before opening night.
While Dever hasn’t had to choose between theater and another activity, the long evenings have an impact. When asked what it affects, “sleep schedule a little bit.” Rehearsals sometimes run late, making it difficult to finish homework after getting home. ”Homework is hard to complete when you come home very late.” Even with those challenges, Dever believes the experience is worthwhile. When asked if the time commitment is worth it, her answer was simple: “Yes.”
Senior Juliete Arana says the time commitment can be long, especially for students working behind the scenes.
Arana works on the technical side of theater, focusing on costumes. She says her day usually starts by getting backstage ready. ”I go, and I make sure backstage is all set up. I do costumes, so I make sure the dressing rooms are all good,” Arana said. She also pulls actors in to measure them for their costumes and to have them try on outfits so everything fits. After school, these responsibilities can take “three to four hours.”
Even with the long hours, Arana says she enjoys staying after school because she likes the work. “It’s pretty good because I’m doing something that I enjoy and working towards the end goal, which is the upcoming musical.”
The Englewood Theater Company is excited to present a spooky show this spring. This is the first play of 2026, and the theater troop wants to start this year with a bang! The play they have chosen to perform is Little Shop of Horrors, a comedic/horror musical about a man-eating plant and its creator.
Arana said the actors and stagehands have put a lot of work into the show, “We have lots of sets and costume pieces. It’s a really big production, and I’m excited to see how it all comes together.” Arana has been doing theater for a long time. “I’ve been doing theater since I was five, so it’s always been like an important part of my life, and I was doing theater at Englewood since sixth grade, when Miss Pickering was the teacher.”
Getting ready for the musical can sometimes affect other parts of her life. During tech week, rehearsals can run very late. “I think one time we were here till like 11,” Arana said.
Because of this, it can be difficult to balance theater with sleep, work, and other responsibilities.
To purchase tickets for the upcoming show, April 16, 17, and 18, scan the QR code on the poster.
