For most of us, the beginning of November calls for some tears. Having to say goodbye to your favorite fall sport brings heartbreak even though for ¾ of high schoolers, it is not really the end. It is hard to accept change, especially when that means not all of the members of your fall family will be returning next year. We always look back on the last few weeks of our fall sports and remember how we played the last game, or how we finished the last race, but I don’t think we give ourselves enough credit when it comes to the dedication put in before the end. We put our jobs and social lives on hold to push ourselves to be the best athletes we can be through blood, sweat, and tears, and closing this door is very saddening, but when we look back and reflect on the end of our fall sports, we need to consider how much time we put in and make the best of our last moments.
On the other side of the school, the stress of the beginning of November is not just limited to the conclusion of fall sports, in fact, it is a chaotic and exciting time for students involved in the musical. While practices during weekdays after school preoccupy our athletes, Saturdays from 10:00-4:00 take up the time of all the musical cast members as they prepare their roles for the big performances. The students balance work, home-life, school, sports, and musical practices to the best of their ability for over three months, and November is finally the time to see it all come together for a beautiful final product.
This year’s musical is Cinderella, and opening night was Saturday, November 9. As the set, props, and people come together, the nerves start to become harder to shake away. Saturday practices drag on and it is hard to convince yourself to get up and go, especially after hard sports practices and tough games the night before. But there’s always something that keeps everyone going and that is knowing the excitement and fun that lies ahead for the final performances.
Senior Rachel Teumer is saying goodbye to the busy musical season as she will soon graduate in the spring. She says, “since it is my senior year, it is sad to watch this part of my life start to come to an end, but I’m not at all sad to see morning practices and Saturday rehearsals come to an end.” She has been involved in every musical at Montezuma since she moved here six years ago.
This year’s shining star, Haley Roorda, is playing the role of Cinderella, said that even though rehearsals eat up her weekend, and she’s putting a lot of hours into the musical. “It is just a testament to how hard Montezuma students are willing to work, and I cannot wait until it all finally comes together,” she shares.
Overall, many members of the cast are excited and very nervous to see their last three months unfold for an audience once the curtain opens. For me, as a member of the cast, I think the best thing to see from the stage is the people who support us, so I’m looking forward to seeing several members of our great community there on opening night as well as the rest of our performances!
By: Beka Teumer