Thirty-six EHS Drama Club students and five chaperones attended the Illinois High School Theatre Festival on Jan. 5, 6 and 7.

Students experienced an opening ceremony the night of their arrival where the festival theme was introduced along with the directors and All-State cast. On Friday and Saturday, students were given the opportunity to attend workshops that focused on acting, singing, dancing, tech, costumes and directing. They also attended several shows that other high schools brought to the festival as well as the All-State show, “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street,” according to junior Sarah Jobe.

“The All-State show is the big show everyone looks forward to because it involves some of the top notch actors from all of Illinois,” Jobe said. “The show impressed me beyond words.”

This year, two EHS students were in the All-State show’s cast and crew. Senior Sam Leapley worked as a theater technician and senior Ben Musec was in the ensemble.

Leapley and Musec both applied to be part of the show in the summer. After filling out a resume, sending in headshots and auditioning twice, they received callbacks before the final cast list was released.

“I was ecstatic,” Musec said. “Knowing that I would get to perform with some of the most talented high school students in the state was such an amazing thought.”

Over the course of five weekends, Leapley and Musec attended several 12-hour practices that were held five hours away at Glenbrook North High School. As a member of the technical crew, Leapley also attended a tech week that started on Jan. 2 to provide the crew with the opportunity to run through the show multiple times, practice cues and organize the set.

“There was a lot more energy (during tech week) because we were so close to performing,” Leapley said.

EHS’s Drama Club showed their support for Musec and Leapley by sitting front row during the performance they attended.

“The whole Drama Club was cheering as loud as we possibly could every time they were on stage,” Jobe said. “Overall, being in an environment with others who have the same passion as you is simply exhilarating.”