The lights have dimmed and the curtains have closed on the Class of 2023’s time at THS. On the heels of their final production, “The Addams Family,” Trinity’s musical seniors have started to relive their past four years on stage. 

The Class of 2023 entered THS eager to take on new roles and opportunities in the building, and many then-freshmen found their home as part of that year’s spring musical, “Annie.” The stage was set for an impressive production before the show was canceled just two weeks before its scheduled opening due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Although necessary, the decision to cancel devastated the cast, crew and directors alike. 

The following year, social distancing guidelines still prevented a traditional musical from taking place. However, thanks to the creativity of the music department, the show still went on. Trinity’s 2021 production was entitled “Musical Review.” It featured a collection of songs from recent THS shows. Students still had the opportunity to wear costumes and show makeup for their pre-recorded performances. Now-senior Abby Drezewski reprised her role as Annie from the canceled show, which she describes as a “full-circle moment.”

In 2022, full-scale productions returned in the form of “Mary Poppins.” To the cast, this whimsical show was the perfect return to the stage. 

“One of the best parts of performing is seeing audience reactions and knowing that you’re entertaining people. One of my favorite memories was seeing kids singing along to the ‘Mary Poppins’ songs in the audience,” says Senior Paige Keener. 

For their final act, the Class of 2023 became part of “The Addams Family.” The musical comedy ran from March 16 to March 19 and featured Senior Will Seirsdale as Gomez, Senior Melena Maglietta as Morticia and Senior Abby Drezewski as Wednesday. Seniors Paige Keener, Makailey Shumaker, Cole Suchoza and Kelsey Vanderhoof also took to the stage as ancestors in the ensemble. 

Senior Silvio Corso acted as Stage Manager for “The Addams Family” and took on the role of Death on stage. Seniors Sydney Gardner and Nicolas Subrick also joined the stage crew, and Senior Providence King was part of the make-up crew. The rest of the senior crew was rounded out by Emily Wickham as videographer, Kat Green as Assistant to the Producer and Jackson Halulko as a sound and lighting technician. 

Just below the stage, the orchestra pit gave “The Addams Family” its distinctive sound. Senior members of this group included Zach Losko on bass, Aydan McKean on alto saxophone, Brett Phillips on violin, Kaylyn Weichel on clarinet and Andrew Harshman on percussion. 

Backstage, the cast stays lively with a multitude of traditions. The most prominent of these is the annual potluck held after the Sunday matinee. Families of the cast and crew are invited to join in celebrating the current show, and the next year’s show is revealed at the end of the day. After each show, the cast can be heard shouting, “What team? Wildcats!” in a nod to the Disney film “High School Musical” to celebrate a successful performance. The seniors also have fond memories of waiting patiently to see who the largest dressing room would be passed down to from year to year in another Trinity tradition. 

When reflecting on their musical experiences, many seniors agree that they have a love-hate relationship with tech week. These infamous rehearsals are held in the week leading up to opening night. Each practice is treated like a real performance where there is no calling for lines or breaking character, so the cast must act like there is a full house.

Despite the long rehearsals and stress of last-minute preparations, Maglietta expresses that the atmosphere is always uplifting.

“Sometimes the process is stressful, but the family atmosphere makes a huge difference. At the end of the day, you can go up to anyone and know that they are there to support you,” says Maglietta. 

While the seniors’ high school careers are now over, Maglietta credits the program for giving her the opportunity to explore different aspects of the theater. Drezewski and Keener echo these sentiments by thanking directors Mr. Komula and Mrs. Child for pushing them to be their best and gain confidence on stage. 

Drezewski shared some heartfelt parting words for her directors and younger castmates.

“After leaving Trinity’s musical program, I will definitely miss the people the most. I can perform anywhere, but the people will never be the same,” says Drezewski. 

The Class of 2023 cast members would like to thank everyone who made their shows possible, including every audience member!