We all walk by Dave Filsinger Hall every day, whether on our way to buses, the cafeteria, or between classes. We see assemblies, attend shows, even have some classes or Kadet Time, especially if you actually take Theater as a class. It’s easy to take for granted the magic that happens on that stage when our theater kids put on those shows. We all hear about them, some of us pay to see them. However, the theater community at Air Academy is rather small. We always see the same faces in every play, the same people from show to show, and every year, the number of underclassmen involved decreases.

However, the Theater kids here at Air Academy aim to change that. The Drama Club is making a comeback this year, pushing harder to get people involved. As such, Air Academy also has a Theater Honor Society, which happens to be the only internationally recognized activity at our school, and is yet another way to get involved. To get in, students have to be involved in at least two productions. We have three main shows every year: Montage, the fall play, and the spring musical, each of which offers unique opportunities for people from all parts of the Air Academy Community. Full disclosure, I am also a part of the Drama Club.

But why get involved?

“It’s very much so a family,” said Senior Tori Kohlman, the vice president of the Theater Honor Society. “It’s a lot of teamwork, we trust each other, and it’s really about the final product.”

Kohlman noted that acting is a fantastic outlet, a useful tool for de-stressing. To an actor, there’s nothing quite like the cheering audience during bows, or the feeling of a standing ovation. Even if you’re not much of an actor, there are plenty of ways to help without getting on stage. Tech, for example, plays a huge role in each production. Without them moving set pieces, organizing props, opening and closing curtains, and controlling sounds and lights, the shows wouldn’t be possible. “Techies” are vital in ensuring everything runs smoothly. Those who wish to become involved could also run concessions or do stage makeup for the actors.

“I was a very shy kid in Elementary and Middle School, and now I won’t shut up,” Junior Aidan Chesemore, one of two acting directors in the most recent production, Montage Light and Dark, said. He also added that theater was huge in gaining his confidence. “Theater just helps you learn to talk to people.”

He was also a part of both the 2017 Production of Rehearsal for Murder and the 2018 Production of Les Miserables.

Air Academy is showing Almost, Maine in November of 2018, and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat in March of 2019.

If you’re not sure if you’d want to get involved, the Drama Club meets in room 402, right across from Dave Filsinger hall, every second and fourth Tuesday during lunch. They play improv games, talk about upcoming events both inside and outside the school, and sometimes, just hang out. There, you can always talk to leaders like Tori Kohlman, Landon Dills (the President), and of course, Susan Manst (Air Academy’s theater teacher), all of whom would be happy to help you.

In the modern era of television and movies, live plays are a dying breed. Although this may be true, they are one of the few chances for high school students to exercise their passions. A live production is a well-oiled machine. Each actor, techie, make-up artist, and even those managing concessions play a vital part in the end product. Without all of these people, the magic of the shows would vanish, and the excitement would dissolve.

The theater family is waiting for you, and hopes to see you there!