From January 9-11, I had the opportunity to attend the 49th annual Illinois High School Theatre Festival (IHSTF) alongside my friends and peers in the Riverside Brookfield High School theatre department. Although this event boasts dozens of workshops for attendees to hone their skills, experiment with new things, and meet new people, my favorite part of going to the IHSTF is watching the shows that schools from around the state bring to the festival. This year, I watched four shows brought by other schools.

The first show I saw was “Clue,” performed by Antioch Community High School. Based on the classic board game, this play tells the story of six guests invited to a mansion as they attempt to unravel a series of murders while trying to keep their own secrets hidden. From the moment I walked into the auditorium, I was already intrigued by the set. A long wall spanned upstage, as well as two inward-facing walls on either side. Each wall had doors on it, and a door on stage left resembled that of a home’s entrance. Given that I’d never seen this show before, I was very excited to find out what it was about, and by the time it was all over, I was extremely satisfied. The acting, lighting, sound effects, and every other aspect of this show was absolutely amazing, and I was on my feet for it all. From the very beginning, when the lights dimmed, the auditorium lights flickered to emulate a dark, stormy night, an effect that truly made me feel like I was in a large mansion on an eerie night. As the characters started coming onstage, each one brought their own unique personality to the show, making it a humorous, lively experience, though I feel like it would have been even better if Miss Scarlet (Jordan Koch) was bigger with her character. My favorite part of the show, however, was the revolving set. The long, upstage wall had a piece that spun around, allowing for multiple different scenes to be created. While one scene was on stage, the tech crew was able to clear the one facing backwards and get it ready for the next. Overall, this was a fantastic show full of humor and mystery, and I would love to watch it again.

Next, I watched one of my favorite musicals, “Legally Blonde,” performed by Lincoln-Way District 210. A retelling of the cult-classic film, “Legally Blonde” follows Elle Woods as she follows her ex-boyfriend, Warner Huntington III, to Harvard Law School in an effort to prove herself to him and win him back. While waiting in line to enter the auditorium, I imagined the set would be that of the Delta Nu sorority house, as this is what most productions have as their opening set. However, I was surprised to see that the stage was almost completely empty, if not for several pink triangles lined across the stage in various positions. While this made me weary for the show had in store, I couldn’t have been more wrong. Looking back on all the shows I watched, this one earned itself second place in my book, right behind “Six,” which we’ll talk about later. By far the most impressive aspect of this show was the singing. Elle (Molly Czechanski) and Warner (Logan Arroyo) were both incredible singers, projecting with melodious clarity. My jaw was truly on the floor when either of them sang, especially Elle in “So Much Better.” Brooke Wyndham (Julia Alexander), too, was a very strong singer, making “Whipped Into Shape” very fun to listen to and enjoy. With all the amazing singing, though, it was quite a disappointment that Emmett Forrest (Declan Kenny) wasn’t too good a singer. I was really looking forward to “Chip on My Shoulder,” and I can’t lie, it was very anticlimactic when he didn’t hit his notes. Still, the production quality made up for it with its strong acting and dancing. The Delta Nu sisters were all amazing dancers, and the energy they brought to the show was truly indescribable. Given the small size of the stage, they really made the most of their set. This production of “Legally Blonde” was one of my favorites, and the talented actors who were in it are definitely going to go far.

After that, I saw Champaign Central High School’s production of “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.” While the other shows I watched were all very impressive, this show was definitely the most memorable, and not for good reasons. This musical takes place at a spelling bee, as we learn about the young contestants in their pursuit of victory. While this show has the potential to be funny and engaging, which I realized after watching a bootleg of it on YouTube during the bus ride back home the following day, Champaign Central did not manage to reach that potential. The show didn’t start off that bad. In fact, Rona Lisa Peretti (Allison Williams) was a very strong singer, and I enjoyed listening to her sing the opening song. However, it would all go downhill from there. The show devolved into what seemed like a group of actors improving on stage without having any idea what they’re doing. At one point, one of the actors stood up and walked to the mic, some music played for a second before turning off, and he sat right back down. Everything started getting repetitive and boring, and it felt as though I was actually watching a real spelling bee. There was, however, one part that I actually enjoyed, and that was “The I Love You Song.” Despite all the things that were executed poorly, I do believe this song was done quite well. Sung by Olive Ostrovsky (Sierra Smith) and her parents (Adsen Tarr and Will Shim), it tells us about her relationship with her parents, and how the idea of them loving and praising her seems impossible. It also suggests that her father is abusive and that her mother either left them or took her own life. This song is a stark contrast to the rest of the show, which is lighthearted and whimsical. Still, the harmonies within it are ear candy, and I immediately became obsessed with it. Other than that, though, this show was quite a disappointment, and I would only recommend watching it done by professionals.

The final show I watched was “Six,” performed by Prairie Ridge School. Without a doubt, this was my favorite show of them all. “Six” is a modern retelling of the lives of the six wives of King Henry VIII as they tell their stories from their own points of view. By the time I got to the auditorium, the floor seats were all taken, so I had to go up to the balcony. This made me nervous that I wouldn’t be able to have a good view of the show, but I was excited when I found a seat that provided a perfect view. The set looked identical to the Broadway show, and once the lights dimmed and the show started, it was nothing less than a spectacle. All six queens’ voices blended together with absolute perfection, and all of their choreography was in sync. It really was like watching a professional show, especially with the amazing lighting effects, which were also true to the original show. My favorite songs in the show were definitely “Don’t Lose Your Head,” “Haus of Holbein,” and “All You Wanna Do.” The green glow-in-the-dark ruffs and glasses during “Haus of Holbein” were so fun in the absence of lights, and Anne Boleyn (Jaeda Gunter) and Katherine Howard (Lydia Jensen) were especially strong singers in “Don’t Lose Your Head” and “All You Wanna Do” respectively. This production also included a small ensemble of ladies in waiting, and they definitely brought fierce passion to the show. There were two other schools that performed “Six,” but this one was by far the best one, and I would love to see it again.

Going to the IHSTF each year has been such an amazing experience, and I’ve been able to appreciate theatre so much more because of the talented actors I get to see perform there. Whether it’s one of my favorites or one I’ve never heard before, seeing the productions of other schools is such a great way to enjoy theatre. I already can’t wait to see next year’s performances, as well as the All-State production of “Newsies.”