A Note from the Director:
Greetings to all who have chosen to support this production of "Guys and Dolls"! Thank you for encouraging the youth in the School District of La Crosse to pursue high quality performance as they join an ambitious project in the middle of a global pandemic. Every imaginable obstacle has been thrown our way (and even some we could never forsee), yet this company has risen to the challenge and come together to make this show a reality.
This is the first musical production onstage since the spring of 2019 ("Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat"). For perspective, our current seniors were freshmen during that show. Only a handful of this cast have ever participated in a high school theater production, and several in our cast are taking the stage for the first time EVER! The independence and perseverance from every member involved, both onstage and behind the scenes, have made this production possible.
What impresses me most about this group of humans is their adaptive enthusiasm in every rehearsal. As we continued to encounter scheduling conflicts, logistical issues, and illness, they trusted our production team every step of the way. Multiple students have taken up the mantle as understudies and covers during our final rehearsals, which hve resulted in the performance being realized onstage this weekend. Special thank you to my teammates (Brian Renkas, Alexis Raatz, and Adam Carty) for assisting throughout this process and making this experience worthwhile for our students!
Live theater creates community. Students find others to become their "theater family," and they have learned to grow together in professionalism and high-caliber performance. My hope for anyone involved in this production is that they continue to pursue performance opportunities throughout the region.
Thank you again for attending this performance of "Guys and Dolls," performed by students from the School District of La Crosse high schools. "One more once!"
-Katie Fries, director
