For the second year in a row, the Seneca Valley Thespians club has put on performances of How the Grinch Stole Christmas at elementary schools in commemoration of the oncoming holiday season. The stage performance of the show starred Junior Jake Nehrer as the Grinch, Ava Minutello as Cindy Lou Who, and Senior Katie Lawson as the Narrator.

The show went to CVE on Friday, December 2, Rowan Elementary on Monday, December 5, and preformed their final showing at Haine Elementary Wednesday, December 7.

Sam Magill, senior and president of the Thespians club, has taken it upon herself to dedicate her senior project towards bringing the Grinch to the above schools. Most members of the Thespians club acted in the show, but a handful also were on stage crew, managing props and set pieces.

Instead of charging a price of admission, the Thespian club decided to take a more charitable approach instead. They asked that everyone who attended the show to bring in canned food to donate to the Southwest Butler Food Bank. In all, they collected six large boxes of canned goods for donation. This collection will surely ensure that families in need will be able to have a happy holiday season.

“Everyone deserves to be happy around the holiday season,” Magill said on the matter. “Not only do the proceeds go to a good cause, but the show itself really brings out holiday cheer.”

The show did have a few hiccups leading up to, and even during the performances. The Thespians club found it difficult to schedule rehearsals that everyone could attend and needed to build set pieces for the performances. During the show at CVE, a set piece actually fell over in the middle of the performance. At Rowan, technical difficulties with the stereo delayed the musical numbers that came at the show’s closing.

Despite all this, the Thespians club was able to put on excellent shows every single night. Mistakes were easily managed, and the talent of each member of the cast really shined.

Senior and experienced Thespian Kim McGinnis was made stage manager for all performances of the Grinch. It was her responsibility to direct those working on the stage crew in setting up all the various set pieces before the show, and getting those sets onto the stage when they were needed.

“The change in venue was a challenged,” McGinnis said. “Every night we had to pretty much start from scratch.”

Mrs. Hugus, English teacher at the IHS and new head of the Thespians club, was heavily involved with directing this year’s showings. She expressed some of the difficulties that running the club brought, although made sure to commend all the wonderful students she had contributing to the club’s success.

“It was certainly a challenge to take over a club that has already been established for years,” Hugus stated. “But I love the kids, and it is a really awesome and talented group.”