The stage is filled with oddly dressed students. Audience members exchange smiles as these actors make jokes only an STA student could get, while others glance about in confusion. Tears stream down the faces of those overcome with hysteric laughter. This is Student Productions. Each year, members of the senior class are invited to write anywhere from 5 to 30 minute productions for this annual tradition. After the top scripts are selected, the seniors given the reigns to direct and organize their production. Drama teacher Shana Prentiss, who usually oversees STA productions, chose five skits for the event April 8 and 9.

According to sophomore Elena Spaulding, a cast member of the production ‘The End,’ the seniors’ job is a difficult one.

‘I have a huge amount of respect for [directors Maggie Holt and Sarah Moran] because I couldn’t do [what they do],’ Spaulding said. ‘I’m not [writing a script] senior year because I can’t write, and I definitely couldn’t handle it.’

According to senior Dominque Brawner when she and her fellow directors decided to write “Peter the Pencil and Friends,” they had no idea what they were getting into. However, the directors we enthusiastic about creating a skit.

“We all just thought it would be really fun, and we just sat down and wrote it,” Brawner said.

In addition to writing and directing, these seniors are also responsible for organizing rehearsals for their cast, who could expect a hectic schedule in preparation for their performance. Besides, the rehearsals set up by directors, casts must also attend standard rehearsals on stage with the crew.

The crew stands behind each performance, organizing the backstage area and assisting with technical aspects of each show. The bulk of their work occurs during “tech week,” the five days before the productions in which the sound, lighting and set changes are rehearsed in conjunction with the performances.

According to crew member Kate Needham, tech week rehearsals were disorganized because the senior directors are not as authoritative as Prentiss. Even outside of tech week cast members were often missing from rehearsal.

“We usually didn’t have our whole cast [at rehearsals] until tech week,” Brawner said. “There was always someone missing.”

Despite some scheduling difficulties, Spaulding said that the atmosphere of student productions was much more laid-back than what you would find at a regular STA production.

‘[Student Productions] are not like a regular play or production where you have a set time and you better be there or otherwise Prentiss is going to cut your head off,’ Spaulding said.

Needham agreed that Student Productions are more relaxed.

‘I love how chill productions are,’ Needham said. ‘It’s a good balance for my own intensity.’

Brawner also feels that Student Productions should have a relaxed atmosphere and advises future directors not to allow stress to detract from that.

“Don’t take [Student Productions] too seriously, and don’t get too stressed out about it ’cause it will work out eventually,” Brawner said.