The stage is set in North Royalton.
This week, a team of teens is presenting "Alice by Heart."
The musical is based on a book inspired by Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.
It is set in the London Underground during World War II and explores the power of first love, grief, and finding the courage to move forward.
The students reached out to News 5 because they wanted to share their pride in this production.
The students run everything: the direction, tech, choreography, costumes, props, set design and marketing. They say they did have some guidance from the choir teacher.
"We've been trying to do this for years, and this is our first year finally getting it together," said Alden Brinkley, co-director. "We didn't really think we could do it, not many people did, and this has gotten a lot farther than we expected it!"
The students say they learned a lot about teamwork and have grown in ways they never imagined.
"I've learned a lot about dealing with people, working with people, even though they're my friends, the stress of working with people and the issues that come with that," said Scott Sopata, co-director and music director. "I'm going to school for music education, so learning to teach singers was a really valuable skill."
They said the themes of the musical resonated with them and hope they do with the audience, as well.
They say theatre is vital for young people because it serves as a creative outlet and teaches both hard and soft skills.
Robby Kalman said he has learned a lot about the power of being vulnerable, which he believes is essential for performing on stage, and he's proud of all his castmates for putting their hearts and souls into the production.
"It just showcases the power and talent that young people have that so often goes unnoticed or is waved away just because they're young," said Kalman. "I think this show showcases their talent immensely."
Tickets are available for the show, which runs from June 5 to 7 at North Royalton High School's performing arts center.
