Frequently Asked Questions

New to the WHMS musical?  See a general information slideshow HERE

Q : What are the ways my student can participate in the musical? 

A: There are two main ways students can be a part of the musical, either as a Performer/Cast member on stage or as a member of one of our three Crew Teams working behind the scenes.  Those Crew Teams include:  Props Crew, Costume Crew, and Run Crew

Q : What is the time commitment required to participate in the musical?

A: The short answer is that it depends on how your student chooses to participate in the musical.

• Cast: The cast rehearses 3 days/week from right after school until 5:00pm beginning in November.  Approximately the 3rd week of January is called Soft Tech Week, when rehearsals are every day until 6:00pm.  The week leading up to the show is called Tech Week – during that week we rehearse at the Sharon Lynne Wilson Center for even longer periods of time.

• Props Crew: The props crew meets 2 days/week from right after school until 4:00pm beginning in November and continuing up until Winter Break.  There are optional opportunities for additional sessions during Tech Week.

• Costume Crew: The costume crew meets 1 day/week (Mondays) for approximately 4 weeks beginning in December.  There are optional opportunities for additional work sessions/participation in January and during Tech Week and the performances.

• Run Crew: The run crew is in charge of moving set pieces on and off stage during performances, as well as some technical roles for advanced students.  Run Crew meets 3 days/week beginning in January for approximately 2 weeks, then meets every day during Soft Tech Week and Tech Week.

Q : Who picks the cast for the show? 

A: The Director makes all casting decisions

Q : Can my child audition for a specific role/character(s) in the show? 

A: No, the auditions are general auditions, in front of the directors and their peers. Each student will have the chance to indicate if they would like to be considered only for an ensemble role or if they would be willing to play any part in the musical.  Again, all casting decisions are made by the director.

Q : Will everyone who tries out be cast in the show?

A: Unfortunately, no.  In order to provide the best experience for everyone in the cast & crew, and in order to fit within the space constraints of the stage and other backstage areas at the Sharon Lynne Wilson Center, not everyone who auditions will be able to be cast in the show.

We do want to include as many students as possible in some way, so anyone who is cut from the cast is encouraged to reach out to the director if they would be interested in joining either the Props Crew or the Costume Crew.

Q : Does every participant have to be at every rehearsal or crew team session?

A: No.  A detailed rehearsal schedule will be released with the cast list, and often not every cast member is called for every rehearsal (See the Rehearsal Information page for more details).  Oftentimes there is so much interest in the Props and Run Crew teams that we divide the students up so that there are two Props Crew teams and each group meets only once per week; however, this is dependent upon the number of registered participants.  The same is true for the Run Crew, except if necessary, the students will be divided between the Thursday/Friday performances and the Saturday performances.

Students are given the opportunity to list any conflicts they may have with the musical rehearsal schedule at the time of registration.  Please be aware that conflicts are a consideration in casting and crew placement.