THE LION, THE WITCH & THE WARDROBE:

No performance is perfect, and performers saw the most challenges come from learning lines, long work hours, and stage fright. Dottie King, who played one of the unicorns, said, “The most challenging part was getting up on stage in front of so many people, but I realized after opening night that it’s normal to be nervous." She added, "I loved the excitement of the shows! It helped me learn to be patient and step in and be a leader. It helped me overcome my fear of stage fright.” But all the hours paid off immensely with the performance.

Personally, I was happy with the performance because the play was a big addition to a Hammond student's already hectic workload; with that in mind, any play executed in time deserves a round of applause. Ensemble member Elizabeth Cannon said, “We did have some hardships in the play, but we overcame them in the end, and it made me grow and advance my love for theater and my acting abilities as an individual.”

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by the Hammond drama department under the direction of Linda Khoury was an authentic tribute to the beloved classic by C S Lewis, bringing to life the magical world of Narnia with sets, costumes, and actors The actors brought sincerity to their performances and got the audiences involved with the story. One of the stars, senior Evan Todd, who played Peter Pevensie, said that he "loved being able to share the stage with the other Pevensies at all times, and build the chemistry and relationships we shared on and off the stage."

As one of the actors, I felt that the cast was full of fantastic performers but even more incredible people. They all share a love for the arts and care for their fellow actors. Arguably the best part about the show was the chemistry between the actors. Even when the production felt rough, we all stuck together and worked it out as a team. Mr. Beaver, played by sophomore Creighton Cook, said, "I like acting. I loved the cast and hanging out with them. I loved the result; it was far from perfect, but you could tell we were all just having fun. I got to know some seniors way better and made new memories with older friends."

The ensemble was a particular highlight of the show. They acted with enthusiasm and portrayed their characters with depth. The ensemble enhanced the magical aspects of the story Lauren Asbill, who played Mrs Bear, said, "I wanted to participate in the play because I enjoy the atmosphere between the characters and the people in the cast "

We had many freshman actors; for some, this was the first play they had done with Hammond theater William Gillespie portrayed Edmund Pevensie, and I felt that he did an unbelievable job with his first time acting in a significant role William taking on a lead role in a theatrical production, especially for the first time, is no easy feat It requires hard work, dedication, and talent to bring a character to life on stage William commented, "I like having fun and meeting new people I liked being a big part in the play because I was seen on stage a lot " director, Linda Khoury, brought out the story's ting, and characterizing actors effectively, ghting and sound, and paying attention to every production orked very hard behind the stage and up in the ng sets and moving large pieces is tedious. The und cues and lights must be perfected, and I felt w did a wonderful job with it. n, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe was a hat showcased the talents of the students and g the audience with a sense of wonder and enchantment that lingered long after the final curtain had closed.