The cast stood in a circle, holding hands and preparing for yet another Memphis University School (MUS) Theater production to begin. It was time for the lights to shine, the music to play and the actors to take the stage. 

This year, MUS is putting on two productions. This winter, the show was “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” a musical centered around six participants, three commentators and their participation in a spelling bee. 

“The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” stands out from other musicals in its usage of audience participation. In the MUS rendition, audience participants included teachers and students.

To Stella Blen (12), it was a dream come true when the musical was announced. 

“I actually was obsessed with this musical before because we were already talking about how we knew this was going to be the musical. So then, I researched everything before we actually found out, and when we found out, I was so happy,” Blen said.

For three months, almost five times a week, the musical’s participants, including many St. Mary’s girls, worked tirelessly to deliver showstopping performances from Nov. 5 through Nov. 8. 

Many St. Mary’s students, including Chloie Madden (11) attended the show to support their classmates.

“I liked how [the musical] seemed so well put together. The months of rehearsals paid off. It was good,” Madden said. 

After the musical’s culmination, there was one thing that the cast universally appreciated: the community. 

“I do theater because I love singing, I love acting and I love the community a lot,” Blen said. 

“The community is the biggest thing overall,”MUS student and cast member of this year’s musical production Joseph Weller said. “I started theater because [of] the people really. Mostly because of the people.” 

For those who are interested in what is next to come for MUS theater, MUS’s next production will be Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night” in the spring.