On the first day of school after the weekend showings of the EHS fall play, “You Can’t Take It With You,” cast members, tech crew and drama students all met one last time on their beloved set—and tore it down.

Striking the set is the natural conclusion to the life cycle of a theatrical production, and it forces the creators of the show to consider their successes, failures, memories and plans for the future. EHS students involved in the production had a lot behind them and even more ahead.

Senior Myles Daugherty thought the play was a success. The audience enjoyed it, and his fellow actors were satisfied overall with their performances, he said.

“I think we were really happy to be a part of it, and I think we definitely gave it our all,” Daugherty said.

Ms. Melton, EHS’s new Theater Arts teacher and Drama club director, believes her first show here was a great experience.

“It was wonderful,” she said. “…I think we have a really talented group of students, and they’re really dedicated. They made it really enjoyable for me.”

Junior Leta DeBardeleben said that Ms. Melton was the reason the show turned out as well as it did.

“We have an amazing director who did an amazing job casting,” DeBardeleben said. “Especially for her first show here, she did amazing.”

Ms. Melton, who has directed shows before, said that the proficiency of the actors at EHS exceeded her initial hopes and drove the development of the show forward.

“I think I was able to raise the bar a little bit as far as what I expected of the actors because they were meeting those expectations easily,” she said.

The next step for some actors will be the Christmas show. This year, senior Hannah Reed Elliott is directing her very own show, “Lillian and the Miracle Machine” to be shown to elementary students around the area.

Then in the spring, Drama club will be in full swing again with the production of the musical “Mary Poppins.”

“Of course I’m excited for the musical,” DeBardeleben said. “I’m excited to see what we do, because (here’s) a little secret: we’re going to be flying. Mary Poppins will be flying.”

Ms. Melton is also looking forward to the spring musical.

“ ‘Mary Poppins’ is a bucket list show for me,” she said. “I am overjoyed about doing that show: flying, actors, and all the magic that happens…and of course the music is wonderful too.”

But before auditions and casting for “Mary Poppins” can begin in December, Drama club had to wrap up “You Can’t Take It With You” for good, causing some nostalgia among students.

One of the most memorable elements of the production for Daugherty was the set built by the tech crew. Many drama students brought in props to add color to the setting, he said.

“The set was really just captivating,” Daugherty said. “When we first saw the concept for it, it was like if ‘The Addams Family’ musical and Hogwarts had a child, this would be it.”

Unfortunately, now that set is gone. Ms. Melton, however, said she can appreciate striking the set more, now that she is directing.

“When I was a theater student, I would be like, ‘Oh no, it’s going down!’ ” she said. “But I think that’s…the joy and the beauty of theater—there’s always the death of a show, but that means we’re making room for a new show.”