While preparing for their fall production of “SpongeBob the Musical,” winter production of “The Diary of Anne Frank” and spring production of “Hadestown,” Herriman High School theater staff and students found inspiration from a line from “Hadestown” — “Strive to see how the world could be, in spite of the way that it is.”

“That line just really spoke to me in general, but also with the world — the world's crazy, lots of stuff’s going on, and I feel like it resonates in many ways to many people in a very real and current way at the moment,” HHS drama instructor KayCee DeYoung said.

Prominently posted at the front of the theater classroom, the quote became the theater theme of the year, a daily reminder to students to show up for each other and to be brave in the face of challenges. “I'll refer to it just kind of whenever that inspiration strikes…if I feel like it applies to a situation or a lesson,” DeYoung said.

Junior Sam Burt said the theme has been relevant when rehearsing shows and in real life. “With the chaos of now, I think that it would be helpful for anyone to apply it to everything,” he said.

Sophomore Jaxen Harvey sees the theme as a call to help others. “It doesn't cost you anything to bring light to the world, right? It really doesn't,” he said. “So if you're able to—do it. If you see a need—fill it.”

Working on “Spongebob the Musical,” this fall, junior Lucy Tanner recognized that Spongebob was living by the theme in the way he stuck by his friends in the face of impending doom.

Inspired by this line from the Broadway musical “Hadestown,” Herriman High School theater students are reminded daily to make a positive impact on their world. (Photo courtesy KayCee DeYoung)

“It really reminded me that I have to stay close with my friends and my family to feel better about the state of the world,” she said.

HHS drama students are currently rehearsing “The Diary of Anne Frank,” the true story of a Jewish girl whose family and several others lived in hiding during World War II. It is based on Anne’s diary which her father discovered after her death.

“It's just so powerful to me, because this story is real, but if she hadn't left it behind, we wouldn't have that story,” DeYoung said. “If her father hadn't found it, and hadn't made the choice to publish what was in it, we wouldn't have this story. We'd have other stories, but we wouldn't have this one. And so that's just another powerful theme to me, an idea of how important it is for us to tell our stories and share our stories, because we don't necessarily always know who's going to need them or what impact they might have.” 

Students said the play, a reminder to not repeat the mistakes of the recent past, is sad but also inspiring.

Burt said the story is a reminder to not take his privileged life for granted.

“It's really important to remember that these are just normal people that went through something so hard that they had to find any life they could in hiding,” he said. “They had to figure out how to live with this dread over them.” 

Harvey said of Anne Frank, “She was a regular teenage girl and she didn't let this big, scary thing affect her and how she lived her life. If you really look at the story, she's just doing what any of us would have done, but on a whole different scale. It definitely took a lot of strength for her to just live the way she did.”

Harvey can relate to Anne’s experience more than most teens his age, because it takes a lot of strength to live the way he does; he is a regular teenage boy who lost his vision a year ago, but he hasn’t let that affect how he lives his life. 

“Yes, I went blind, but I can still act, I can still do the things I love, I can still live my life,” he said. “So that's how I stay positive--just one step at a time.” 

His limited vision sometimes makes it difficult for him to help others, but he has found joy and purpose volunteering once a week with kids with special needs, who remind him to keep everything in perspective.

“There are kids who can't speak, and are in wheelchairs, and can barely stand by themselves, but they always have a smile on their face,” he said. “They're always willing to give you this big hug or come talk to you if they can. And so every day I try to be like that — just, yes, the world sucks, but why does that need to stop me from smiling?”

DeYoung is proud of the students in the cast and crew for their dedication, creativity, hard work and willingness to take on challenging responsibilities to get the shows ready.

“Year after year, day after day, I'm just always amazed at the capacity of my students, of the intelligence of my students, what challenges they're able to take on and what creativity they have and the work that they're willing to put in,” she said.

“The Diary of Anne Frank” will be performed Feb. 25, 26, 27, 28 at 7 p.m. and at 1 p.m. on Saturday Feb. 28 at Herriman High School. The play will be performed without sound amplification in an intimate black box theatre built on the main stage with leveled seating for 150-200 audience members.

“Hadestown” will be performed April 30, May 1, 2 at 7 p.m. and at 1 p.m. on Saturday May 2.

Tickets are $10 for adults, $8 for students/seniors/military, and can be purchased online at herrimantheatre.com or at the door, as available.