The theatre department holds many hidden areas of interest and feelings of safety. From backstage to up in the tech booth, there are so many places for each and every person here. 

One of the first places a student might see is the black box and green room. These rooms are where you enter to find Mrs. Schneider’s classroom and a small hangout area before entering. Within the Black Box room sits a ragged couch filled with the legacies of thespians before us, and the invitation for more memories to be made.

A little further along is the shop. The smell of sawdust floats in the air all year long, and you can find various tools lying in corners and old set pieces strewn along the walls and floor. Paint splatters remain stuck on the ground and in random nooks in the room.

Moving past the shop lies the prop room connecting two hallways. Chairs hang from the walls, boxes pile up in giant heaps as you make your way through the narrow path between both halls. Lampstands, bags, buckets, reclining chairs, and any random prop or set piece imaginable.

Exiting from the prop room into a hallway on one end is a blue-lit corridor. “Narnia,” as it is called. Because entering from the door on the other end feels like entering into a new world: the theatre department.

Turning back to the other side of the corridor leads to the auditorium. At first, you step into the wings, the sides of the resounding stage. In one corner, a creaky metal ladder that would lead you to the fly if you were brave enough to climb it. And if you were even more courageous, you would go on to the catwalk. Several platforms near the ceiling of the auditorium, with 11 inch gaps in between.

But, if you had a deathly fear of heights, you might move on past that creaky ladder to the stage. A plain black canvas covered in scuff marks made by the scrambled changing of sets. Perfect for the ever changing performances that have graced the stage.

Stepping down the stairs on the sides of the stage, and to the back by the doors leading to Main Street, a doorway with a staircase is placed. If you followed the path, you would find a winding path of show posters on every wall, a random set of audience seats, a restricted arch leading to the catwalk, a foam heavy weight to scare newcomers, and a few cozy rooms. The tech booths. Spotlights, sound boards, headsets, microphones. A haven for techies.

The VHS Theatre Department is filled with so many magical places just waiting to be explored. With just the perfect amount of chaos, the right kind of drama, and an all-inclusive family, this department has become a home to many, and a place to be enjoyed by all.