NAHS theatre students always manage to outdo themselves with each show under the direction of Amy Miller – from Almost, Maine to Beauty and the Beast, every single student shines in their own way. Putting on Mary Poppins this year is no different, but will it live up to its expectations? 

Putting on a high school-scale version of Mary Poppins has been a staple in many public high schools ever since the infamous Broadway musical debuted in November 2006. Students scramble at a chance to get a leading role and to make sure the spotlight shines on them. 

“I was on vacation with one of my friends who is in the show and then [the Mary Poppins cast] was announced and I was really excited about that and then uber excited to be the lead,” junior Gabby Higdon said. 

This particular show can be a challenge, according to Theatre Director Amy Miller.. The amount of set design and difficult characters there are to portray, it really does take the right group of people to be able to accurately execute the show. 

“It’s a show that I’ve been wanting to do for a long time, but have been waiting for the right group of students to do it with,” Miller said. “They have all the skills and talents and the work ethic to really pull this show off – it’s huge, it’s challenging, and I’ve been waiting for the right group to tackle it.” 

Not only are the theatre students working hard to prepare, many of the tech crew students have also taken many more hours out of their time from school to make sure the play runs along smoothly. From lighting, to sound, to music and costume design the tech crew really are the ones making the play happen without ever being seen.

“This is my first performance with the tech crew, but I feel like I outshine myself the more I [work on sets] and the more I learn,” freshman Teagan Orr said. 

Getting a lead role is not only exciting, but it opens a door for many more opportunities to audition for lead roles in the future. Not snagging the character an actor wanted, though, can be crushing and lead to low self confidence. Some people feel as though they weren’t good enough or didn’t work hard enough, others see it as a chance to improve. 

“It’s definitely discouraging, but it’s how you pick yourself back up and improvise with the role you have and still have fun with it,” junior Gage Stice (Bert) said. “You shouldn’t get too bummed out about not getting a role you wanted, you’re still on stage and doing what you love so it’s not a big deal.” 

Many students have done theatre as early as elementary school, and many still continue it into college and turn it into their career. According to the Center on Education and the Workforce of Georgetown University, majoring in drama and theater arts with a Bachelor’s degree earns a median salary of $45,000 a year. Majoring with a Graduate’s degree earns a median salary of $60,000 per year. 

Miller says that she highly encourages her students to continue theater after high school. She says it is a great experience to be a part of and really builds character.

“I have so many kids come back [after graduating] and say ‘I was able to get into whatever and help somewhere and I was able to work on this and I went and volunteered one day.’ it’s just really satisfying to see that they’re carrying on the work,” said Miller.

Mary Poppins will be showing from March 3, 4, 5, 10, 11 and 12 in the NAHS auditorium. You can purchase tickets at www.nahstheatrearts.org.