Another spectacular year of theater has come to an end at RHS, and with it, the final curtain falls journey for five seniors who have performed on stage throughout their high school careers: Liam Rose, Ashly Alphonse, Emma Carothers, Hannah Hutchinson, and Lauren Rodgers.

From the fall shows of “Radium Girls” (2022), “As You Like It” and “Romeo and Juliet” (2023), “The Unsinkable Molly Brown” (2024) and Clue (2025), to the spring musicals, “Fiddler on the Roof” (2023), “Into the Woods” (2024), “Mean Girls” (2025) and “Mamma Mia!” (2026), these performers have dedicated themselves to the show business life. In the process, they have not only developed lasting memories from theater but also made friends for life.

“The biggest thing I’m going to miss is the community,” Alphonse said. “I always looked forward to working on the shows and seeing my friends and castmates.”

For her and many others, theater provided both a creative outlet and a space to connect. “This year felt very special, with the people I was surrounded by,” Rogers said. “I feel like I’m leaving behind some of my favorite people.”

The students built strong emotional bonds while working on plays. Rehearsing multiple days each week in small groups, they spent countless hours together, forming meaningful bonds with their peers that made each show’s conclusion all the more bittersweet.

“I am really going to miss all the time spent with castmates,” Rose said. “I loved when we were all just in the same space, having a good time. My favorite shows were definitely ‘Mamma Mia!’, ‘Clue’ and ‘Molly Brown.’ The fun I had on and off stage during those shows was amazing.”

Each production also allowed the student performers to cultivate new talents. “For ‘Into the Woods,’ I was able to learn a new skill in theater by trying puppetry, something never even on my radar before,” Carothers said.

Different roles called for different skill sets, whether they be a new style of dance, an accent or a completely new persona to take on. “My favorite show by far was ‘Mean Girls,’” Hutchinson said. “Playing Karen Smith showed me not only my range as an actor, but how fun working with a cast of friends truly is.” For these students, theater became a place for opportunity, once where  they could gain confidence in their performances and themselves.

Despite a change in directors midway through their high school years–from the incredible Jacob Burlas to the talented Jeorgi Smith–the transition only strengthened their resilience. These seniors grew up performing together, starting in middle school when they wore masks on stage because of the pandemic.

As normalcy returned during high school, they all continued to connect through theater. They learned from the upperclassmen who preceded them to create a fun and comfortable environment for themselves and for future performers to emulate.

“If I could turn back time,” Alphonse said, “the biggest thing I would do differently is enjoy it so much more and not take it for granted.”

To the seniors, thank you. You have created a foundation of warmth, dedication and community. Your legacy will carry on long after your final bow.