The Senior Play is an annual event that every class looks forward to. It is a way of bonding with your classmates and getting out of your comfort zone before everyone parts ways for the summer.  Overall, it is a great way to end the high school experience. This year the Class of 2022 will be performing Willy Wonka on June 3rd, 4th, and 5th and everyone involved could not be more excited!

The school usually provides the students running the production with a few options of what show they would like to put on. This year, Willy Wonka seemed like the most obvious choice with the amount of casting options for such a large group of students. This is the first year since 2019 that the senior class will have a full normal experience in terms of this production, and the amount of seniors participating is at an all-time high. “We believe that it definitely has to do with COVID, and the desire to do something to connect with the community. Nevertheless, it’s insane. We started out with 140+ people and are at around 100+. Understandably, people had to drop out because of other commitments or they just weren’t interested. However, we are glad many people at least gave it a try during auditions and the first couple of weeks,” explained Janmariz Deguia ’22 Co-Director of the show. 

The students who wished to have a part in the play had to first go through a two-part audition process. Anoushka Dasgupta ’22 spoke on her personal experience with the audition process; “On audition day I was very tired, and left my audition thinking I did horribly because of it, so I was a bit upset but kind of just put it aside and waited to see what would happen. Callbacks on the other hand were super fun! We danced, acted, and sang in front  of everyone else who was called back, and it was dope to see how enthusiastic everyone was about the play.” Eventually, Anoushka found out that she was cast as Veruca Salt and was extremely excited about her role.

Although the production is surrounded by a lot of joy and anticipation, it has come with its fair share of challenges. The time limitation has made practice on top of final exams and senior options difficult for many students. However, the process has also been extremely rewarding for those acting in the play as well as those who get to watch them every day! “The most rewarding part of directing this show is seeing people have fun. Especially after big numbers or hard dances/songs, they get so proud of themselves,” commented Deguia. 

The senior play has been an amazing opportunity for the senior class to come together one last time to create something as a class. Not only have students bonded with each other through the play, but they have created a community. Tickets for the show are currently on sale through the link in the bio of @shs22classplay on Instagram.