The theatre department at LHS is currently working on putting on the production “Clue.” Despite the hardships, the theatre department has managed to stay strong and is continuing the exceptional performances they put on every year.

Since the beginning of the school year, students have been auditioning online. The Covid-19 regulations by the Virginia Department of Health make it nearly impossible for in-person performances and live audiences, leaving students deprived of the in-person experience.

“The hardest part about doing theatre virtually is that you don’t get to move around and physically interact with the set or the other actors because you’re just sitting in front of a computer, which takes away from the physical humor or drama in a scene,” said sophomore Maia McMahon.

“For this show specifically, it is heavily based around the unique characters and their interactions, and it’s hard to get that connection through a computer screen,” said sophomore Alex Huff.

“I think one of the hardest parts of working and performing virtually is that it is so much harder to work and have stronger chemistry within the cast. When we are all together in person, we can bounce energy back and forth and interact so much, but virtually, it is so much harder to do,” said junior Elizabeth Wolfert.

In addition, when it comes to performing live, students in the department showed interest and are hoping to get back to performing live again.

“Nothing compares to performing for a live audience,” said McMahon.

“I do miss being on stage because it really feels like you’re performing something rather than recording a video,” said Huff.

“This is my first year, so I’ve never been in front of an audience. However, I’m really excited for when we finally get back to normal,” said Rebecca Quiroga.

Even with all the hardships they’ve faced, students are confident about the performance they will be putting on and believe that “Clue” will be something great for people struggling with the pandemic.

“Despite all the challenges of putting on a virtual show, I do still feel pretty confident about our performance. Even though we don’t have extravagant sets and costumes, we can still put on an amazing performance. ‘Clue’ is a comedy, and everybody needs a good laugh right about now,” said McMahon.

“Of course it’s not going to be as grand as seeing something on stage, but I believe we can make it a fantastic show and a great viewing experience for the audience. At face value, this play being a comedy will certainly lighten the mood for people struggling with the pandemic,” said Huff.

“I feel confident that we are doing the most and best we can for what we have! It truly can’t be compared to previous shows because it’s in such a different world right now, but I still know it’s going to be an amazing show!  I feel like ‘Clue‘ is a pretty good choice! It’s a fun story and show that I know we can put on as a virtual performance,” said Wolfert.

The students in the theatre department can ensure that this will be a great experience.

“‘Clue’ is full of humor and suspense. When you’re not laughing, you’ll be sitting on the edge of your seat waiting to see what happens next,” said McMahon.

“As I said before, ‘Clue’ has very unique characters, so you’re guaranteed to love at least one of them. Plus, the cast and director we have are very talented and will for sure make the experience worthwhile. There are tons of twists and turns throughout the play that makes you question the very reality we live in. This show is one you don’t want to miss,” said Huff.

It’s important to support the great work that the theatre department puts on for the LHS community, especially this year, now that these departments have been hit hard. They put on grand shows for students, faculty, and family, and they do it extremely well. To support the LHS theatre department, stay tuned to all announcements about “Clue.” It’ll be a show people won’t regret watching.