Photo by Savannah Schmidt.
Mountain Brook theater teacher Jane Ganey prepares students Josie Gagliano, left, and Olivia Mahoney for their upcoming show during a class on Sept. 10.
Mountain Brook High School’s Theatre program is gearing up for their fall production of “These Shining Lives.”
“We are really excited about this show,” said MBHS Theatre Director Jane Ganey. “This is a very true story based on real events.”
The performances will be held at the school’s freshly renovated Fine Arts Center Oct. 24 through 26 at 7 p.m. each night.
The show, written by Melanie Marnich, features the lead character, Catherine, and her friends who face the harsh reality of illness, but their story “transcends mere survival,” according to Ganey. “It is a beacon of hope illustrating how they refuse to let the corporation that compromised their health extinguish their spirits. Instead, they stand united, turning their pain into purpose, advocating for justice and ensuring that future generations do not suffer the same fate.”
Ganey said the production resembles Greek-style theater, and each character influences the story.
“You have a lead character that would not exist without the other characters,” Ganey said. “This style of theater really gives students another layer they can research and learn from.”
MBHS Theatre productions are audition based, giving all students an opportunity to perform.
“We open our auditions to anyone in the school, not just theater kids, because we really want to give anyone the opportunity to be involved,” Ganey said. “We are always excited to take students who may have an interest but aren’t regularly involved in theater work.”
Auditions were held in late August, and roughly 13 cast members were selected, with an additional seven students serving as backstage personnel.
“We are a very student-driven department,” Ganey said. “I am very hands-off and really just let the students take ownership. This mirrors what they do in professional theater and allows the students to really take pride in their work. They make it all come to life, and they all kind of band together to do what is best for the production. It is really cool to see that level of teamwork.”
While rehearsals started in September, Ganey said not every cast member has to be at every rehearsal.
“We will usually only call the cast members we are rehearsing for that particular day, because I know that these students have lives outside of the theater, and I want to respect and encourage them to do that,” Ganey said. “Some have jobs after school, some run cross country, and it is important for me to make sure these students are involving themselves in other passions.”
The week of production, they will all come together for final rehearsals.
“It really is like connecting one big puzzle in the end,” Ganey said. “We call everyone together and just watch it all fit together. It is a sad story and is partially a tragedy, but there are some really uplifting parts of the show that take you into a journey and make you look at your own life.”
Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at gofan.co/app/school/AL1582.
